Mayhem
by sunflower14
Summary: Sometimes life is peaceful and calm like a balmy afternoon on the beach. Other times it is like an eye of a hurricane, destuctive but beautiful.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own the OC or any of the characters.

Chapter One

The homey cottage by the sea reflected the last rays of the day. Sunlight streamed in slanted windows creating criss-

cross patterns on the polished wooden floor. White cotton curtains danced lazily in the balmy air and the sound of crashing

waves added a smoothing rhythm throughout the house. Seth Cohen winced as he stared at the total destruction of the once

clean house. There were plates everywhere paralleling with unwashed cups. Carry out containers became ladders against

the once sunny yellow walls. Now the floor was covered in what only could be described as…actually Seth didn't know

what to call the gunk. He only knew that he had to be crazy to even have agreed to do this. Signing he tiptoed across the

floor in two day old socks hoping that the baby would sleep at least another hour. Imagining himself as Spiderman, he

crept daringly across the landfill avoiding crack by crack. Spinning, he caught himself before he stepped on a dog chewy.

Arms raised in victory, he reached toward the plastic ball when all of a sudden ….his elbow hit a glass of milk that went

spiraling across the already dirty floor. Halting his once successful progress, he waiting for the wail. However, none came

and he continued on his journey quietly scooping up random trash. The peaceful silence was interrupted by a shrill ring of

the phone and instantaneous cries of demand. Muttering a curse as he worked his way through the mess, he was almost

tackled by the little demon.

"Uncle Seth, Gracie is crying," she chirped stating the obvious while shifting her feet back and forth. Giving up, she ran

down the hallway and back while singing _this is the song that never ends yes it goes on and on my friends. _

Just kill me now, pleaded Seth, just do it now. Another demanding shrill was heard from upstairs, and Seth took a deep

breath. How on earth did Ryan and Marissa deal with their life on a daily basis? Could they have not ….the ring of the

phone interrupted his pointless rambling and he grabbed the phone in order to stop the sound. "Shut up you stupid thing."

"Uncle Seth, you said stupid. You can't say stupid, silly! Do I need to go get the soap?"

Seth starred into the earnest blue eyes and saw a hint of a sparkle that reminded him so much of her mother. With her

hands on hips, she posed the question with an accusing glare.

"Ella, how about you go check on your sister while I get the phone. Let's not tell Mommy or Daddy what Uncle Seth said

while were at it, okay?" Pulling on her braid, he watched as she skipped up the stairs while humming a tune. He turned his

attention to the caller. "Whoever this is, I really don't have the energy or time to hang up on you so why don't you do it for

me."

"Well, well Seth Cohen. Now I know what I can expect when asking you to baby-sit for the weekend," teased a voice

from the other side.

"Exactly, you now can do what ordinary people do and actually hire a babysitter instead of an Uncle Seth!"

"But Ella so wanted to spend time with you. Besides, not everybody has such a wonderful Uncle Seth."

"No offensive, Marissa, seeing that we are related in several different ways but your child is a little monster. I have lost

count how many times she has tricked or booby trapped me. And that is not even the worst part," he whined.

"Oh, poor Seth. Having to take care of two little girls really can't be that hard?"

"Whatever, Marissa. Do you want to talk to your devil spawn?"

"Of course. I was not calling to hear you complain about my babies," she laughed. "Put Ella on and…"

Seth could hear muttering voices in the background and a laugh.

"Ryan says hi, and that he completely feels your pain."

"Say hi to your better half, and enjoy the rest of the weekend because I am never ever doing this again. I don't even want

to see a kid for a month after this. In fact…"

"Better not tell Summer that," Marissa interrupted, "now put Ella on."

"Demanding aren't we? Just like your little demons. Ella," Seth yelled up the winding stairs, "Your Mom is on the

phone." A shriek resounded throughout the house and a wail was heard in response. Thundering steps roared down the

stairs at full speed. Used to this routine, Seth stuck his hand out catching the little girl before she went tumbling down.

"Hi Mommy, " she said sweetly. "Yes, yes I am being very good for Uncle Seth," she replied while looking at Seth

witha slight sly smile. "Oh, Mommy. You won't believe what Uncle Seth did to the living room furniture and what bad

word he said…"

Seth groaned and put his head in his hands. This was going to be a very long, long weekend.

Let me know what you think!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own anything of the OC.

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews! Summer and Seth are definitely going to play a major part of the story but it will mostly be about the Atwood family.

The twilight cast an eerie shadowed light around the cottage by the sea. The pulsing sound of the sea still filled the quiet air while fireflies sprinkled merrily across the lawn. Summer slowly drove her car up the long driveway in the dark while muttering about Saturday night traffic and idiot drivers. The ride had been a long and tiring one. All she wanted to do was change into her pajamas and sleep. Speaking of sleep, she turned and glanced at her slumbering companion that was supposed to be keeping her company for the last four hours. That was a joke. Instead, the young girl had succumbed to sleep after a pit stop at 7-eleven after nonstop talking the first hour and hadn't stirred once. Summer wished she was that age again when everything was simple and fresh. Signing, she gently turned off the headlights and turned the key. Once again she turned to the passenger and poked her none too gently in the shoulder. Of course, the girl never stirred. Just like her mother, thought Summer grumpily. Marissa had always been dead to the world when she slept, and once Summer even dumped water on her to get her up. Let's just say Marissa didn't speak to Summer for a couple of days. Summer recalled that they were about six when that occurred. Smiling, she reached over and shook the girl while trying to find some hint that she was waking from dreamland. When she didn't respond, Summer decided to resort to the last thing she could think of. Grinning wickedly, she leaned on the horn as loud as she could making a continuous BBBEEEEEEPPPPPPPP throughout the once quiet night. The girl gave a start and jumped in her seat banging her head on the glass window with her fist shooting out. Summer just avoided getting smacked right in the face. Of course that, she thought, she got from her father.

"What the…Aunt Summer!" she cried. "That was really cruel of you. I was in the middle of the perfect dream when…"

"Well, maybe if you had been a little bit of a better companion and didn't fall asleep for most of the trip I would have been a little bit more lenient. However, it was your decision to fall asleep. Sorry, you just have to face the consequences, dear Nealy," she smirked.

"You're hilarious Aunt Sum," Nealy replied sarcastically. "I don't know what you…hey," she realized, "we're home!"

"Yep, we finally made it despite the three bathroom stops in the first hour," she deadpanned.

"Yeah, about that…sorry, I had a lot of water before we left camp."

"No problem dear niece, let's just not let that happen again. Now how about we go see how Uncle Seth managed with the two little monsters."

"I'll bet you five bucks that the house is destroyed or partly on fire. Ella loves to make booby traps."

"I'm willing to bet you are right Nealy, but due to the fact that your Uncle Seth is my husband I'm going to have to come to his defense."

Nealy gave a snort and jumped out of the car running up the winding drive on long legs. Summer signed again and stood up more slowly. Boy, did she feel old and she was only 29! Either that or she needed to hit the gym a little more. Climbing the steps, she thought that it was entirely certain that the house would be a mess and who knew about the status of the two little girls inside. Pushing the door open, she stopped and stared in horror at the mess. Ryan and Marissa were going to kill them. Who knew where they might bury the bodies. Feeling a full fledged rage blackout coming on, she stomped up the steps keeping an eye out for her husband. She spotted Ella sitting on the living room floor enthusiastically dipping into the container of ice cream while paying unusually close attention to the TV.

"Hey, El."

"Hi, Aunt Summer," she replied distracted.

"Where is Uncle Seth?" she asked sweetly.

"Ah, I think he is in Grace's room. She wouldn't go to sleep." Deciding that the conversation boring, she turned her attention back to the TV.

Summer walked slowly to Grace's room and peered around the door ready for a full out screaming fest regardless to the fact that there were three little girls somewhere in the house. "Seth Ezekiel Cohen…" she stopped and starred. Seth sat slumped in the rocking chair by the window with Grace drooling on his shoulder both fast asleep. She actually wasn't sure if the drool was from Grace or her husband; both had a compulsive habit of the drool. Smiling slightly, she took a blanket and gently covered them up and closed the door. Turning back to the living room, she found Ella exactly where she left her but with Nealy sitting on the couch.

"Hey, you two. How about you get ready for bed?"

"Nnnooo, Aunt Sum," Ella whined, "I'm not sleepy."

"You know Aunt Summer, Ella just ate about all that ice cream, within a couple of minuets she is going to be bouncing off the walls. You know how she is."

Summer turned and glared at Nealy while Ella smiled a toothy grin in their direction and started humming the song that was playing on the TV. "Fine, we won't go to bed now." Summer knew from experience and many stories about how hard it was to get Ella to bed after lots of sweets. She didn't want to add to the horror stories.

"I have an idea," Nealy said while smiling slightly at her aunt. "Let's play poker."

"Nealy, I don't that is an appropriate game to play with you or your sister. Besides, it is complicated."

"Oh, come on. You can teach us the fine parts and it can be all innocent and everything."

Summer signed and looked at the clock. It was only 7:45. "Okay, go get the cards…" Wincing at both girls' shrieks, she knew that Marissa was going to kill her when she discovered that she was corrupting her babies. Summer dealt out the cards and explained the rules to the girls. After many questions and about an hour of misplay, she started to notice that she was losing royally and that the two girls had quite a few dollars between them. Becoming suspicious, Summer watched the two girls carefully and finally saw Ella wink at Nealy out of the corner of her eye as Nealy tapped her finger on the table.

"What on earth is going on here you two?" Summer demanded.

Nealy looked up with innocent and surprised blue eyes. Ella let out a little giggle and Nealy kicked her under the table.

"Ella Leigh Atwood, you tell me right now!"

The two girls broke into giggles that almost made Summer laugh. Almost, being the operable word.

"Didn't you know Aunt Summer, Mommy taught us this game to help with our math skills!" The two girls broke into hysterical giggles as Summer groaned knowing she had been taken advantage of once again by her nieces. Please, please, she thought, let Coop and Chino get home soon.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own the OC

Chapter Three

The cheery yellow kitchen didn't exactly shine with radiance or cleanness, but it was full of laughter and warmth this early fall morning. The crisp fall air wafted through the half open window intermingling with the tantalizing smells of chocolate chip pancakes and maple sugar french toast. The table was hopelessly cluttered as the four occupants grabbed and dodged around each others' cups of freshly squeezed orange juice. Seth Cohen signed contently finally glad that something was going right this weekend. Looking at his lovely wife, he noticed that she was particularly radiant this morning despite only having about five hours of sleep. Baby Grace decided that everybody should be up when she arose to entertain her. Hence, the temporarily family was enjoying an extremely early breakfast, Seth thought. He glanced at Ella as she accidentally trailed her blanket in powder sugar while reaching for another french toast. He decided that it didn't really matter anymore, while closing his eyes and counting to ten. A soft touch on his leg had him blinking up rapidly while staring at an innocent looking Summer.

"What?"

"Nothing dear, nothing at all. I must have been just imagining thing…" he said while smirking. Nealy looked at them suspiciously (she did grow up in the Atwood household!), but decided that reading the comics was more interesting. Gracie gave a loud gurgle and stuck her spoon up her nose.

"Oh, Gracie sweetheart," Summer said hurriedly, "let's try to eat with our spoon." The little girl looked up at her aunt puzzled and gave another shriek and started babbling.

"That's right Grace. I completely agree with you. I know, I know…" Ella answered while looking at her baby sister knowingly.

Seth and Summer exchanged a look, and turned to Nealy who just rolled her eyes and turned back to the funnies while reading them upside down.

"I must admit Summer," Seth started cautiously, "these Atwood children are way past the weird category on Jeopardy."

Summer gave a laugh completely agreeing while watching in amusement Nealy's face turn red and Ella look shocked. A glisten of silver caught her eye, making Summer immediately turn to Nealy who had a spoon full of syrup ready to fire.

"Take it back Uncle Seth, now. I'm warning you!"

"Nealy," Summer scolded gently. "He was just kidding. For goodness sake put the spoon down and nobody will get hurt."

"No!"

"Nealy!" Summer raised her voice, "You are older than this…Cohen! What do you think you are doing?"

"Creating defense, dear," replied Seth casually as he readied his spoon full of eggs in Nealy's direction.

"Seth, No!"

"I dare you Uncle Seth. You don't have the guts. Daddy always says you are whipped by Aunt Summer!"

"Nealy Atwood," Summer shrieked horrified, "you put that spoon down right now…" But it was hopeless. Nealy in a fit of anger shot her spoon out whose contents followed an arching path and landed daintily on Seth's head.

"Nealy Marie Atwood, I think you just crossed the line as they like to call it. Nobody messes with the Jew fro and gets away with it." With that said, Seth flicked his spoon at Nealy followed by Summer's yell of rage. Nealy blinked as the eggs flopped against her face and became tangled in her long blond hair. Ella gave a shriek and threw her pancake across the table landing neatly on Summer's white shirt. It slid down leaving a syrupy path. "Food fight!" yelled Seth grabbing a waffle and shoving it in Ella's hair. Nealy laughed and flung her juice in Summer's face. Summer froze and turned to Seth.

"This is all your fault you over grown idiotic child! I can't believe…!" Summer shrieked as Seth stuffed a muffin in her mouth. Deciding that fair was fair and Summer Cohen never backed down from fight, she took her lukewarm coffee and dumped it in Seth's lap. His eyes widened slightly as a sly grin overtook his face. Grabbing the syrup bottle, he dumped it all over her head. Her shriek was heard all the way to the beach.

"Ew, Cohen! You are so going to pay!" Soon food was flying all over the already dirty kitchen as the occupants dove under the table and slipped head first into the refrigerator. Suddenly a loud bang was heard and footsteps coming up the path. Nealy glanced out the window and saw the familiar silhouettes of her Mom and Dad walking toward the kitchen. She turned horrified to her aunt and tried to find the words but it was too late. The kitchen door opened and Ryan and Marissa walked in hand and hand. Their smiles slowly faded from their faces, and Nealy winced as she saw her Mom's face tighten and lips became a straight line. Ryan opened his mouth trying to speak but no words came out. A haggard whisper arose from Seth.

"We, we can explain."

Summer winced as Marissa silenced him with a look. She found herself thinking when did Coop become such a Mom. Nobody said anything as they starred at each other among the clicking of the clock. Suddenly a shriek was heard followed by a GLUMP as applesauce dripped down Ryan's shocked face. Ella giggled, while Nealy starred wide eyed at her littlest sister. Grace shrieked again and waved her pudgy fists. "Mama, Dada."

Ryan turned his head and starred at Marissa who was shaking trying to keep her lips tightly closed. Smirking slightly, he started toward the table and gripped the sticky mess called syrup. Following his movements, Marissa started backing away slightly. "Oh no, don't even think about it Ryan. If you do, I will…" her movements were suddenly blocked by Seth, who had quietly slipped behind her. Grabbing her hands and holding them behind her back, he egged Ryan on. "Come on man. You know that you want to can the little missus."

"Let me go Cohen," Marissa demanded taking a page out of Summer's book. "I know you deepest, darkest secret. Summer told me, and I will not hesitate…" But it was too late; Ryan had taken the syrup and sprayed it all over his wife's dress. Watching her face go from shocked, to surprise, to mischievous, he watched as she wrestled away from Seth and tackled him onto the ground in the process of covering him in an array of syrup, pancakes, and waffles conglomerated on the floor. Yelling, Ella threw another pancake at Summer who was trying to help Seth get Nealy to open her mouth. Ryan looked up into his wife's pooling blue eyes as she glanced down at him laughing. Smiling, he reached up and gently traced her nose while meeting her lips in a tender kiss. As she buried her head into his shoulder, he heard her whisper; "it's good to be home." He couldn't agree more.

I'm not done with the story yet. It probably will get a little bit less fluff as the story continues on about the Atwood and Cohen clans! Let me know what you think!


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own the OC.

Chapter Four

Peace had settled across the cottage by the sea. The ordinary order was restored… at least, the some what ordinary. Despite the peace radiating from within the cottage, outside swirled into a mist of ebony and olive shrieking its fury on the world. The waves slammed into the beach disrupting the once solid coastline. Trees danced crazily along the steaks of lightning brightening up the sky. Marissa Atwood thought the chaos was beautiful. Not ever having perfectly ordinary in her life, she could deeply relate to nature's destructive patterns. Also, here she was safe and warm in her house sitting at a now clean table with her best friend. The girls were upstairs doing homework while Grace sat on her Daddy's lap trying to "help" play the newest video game Seth brought.

"So anyway, I was totally like how dare…Coop! Are you listening to a word I'm saying?" Summer startled her friend out of her thoughts.

"What? Sorry Sum, I was distracted by sounds outside. It sounds like it is getting worse out there."

"You were always a strange one, Coop. I don't think I have ever met a person who enjoyed storm more than you."

Marissa just shrugged her shoulders and took another sip of her herbal tea.

"I mean seriously. Do you remember that one time you spent the night and the clouds suddenly broke open pouring torrents of rain?"

_Eleven year old Summer Roberts ran inside desperately wiping her thick black hair out of her eyes. The storm had made the power go out inside and it was as dark as a tomb in the house. Marissa had been spending the night and the girls had been outside frightening each other with ghost stories when the wind started picking up._

_"Maybe we should go inside Coop. It looks like it might pour." Summer grabbed her blanket tighter around her thin shoulders hunching over in the wailing wind. She looked up and saw her best friend staring up at the sky with a curious look. _

_"Oh, Sum, let's not yet! The storm isn't here yet. We still have time."_

_Summer looked nervously over at Marissa who sat with a slight smile on her face. She felt the temperature suddenly drop and goose bumps rose across her arms. Looking up at the darken sky, Summer felt a nervous lurch in her stomach. Suddenly large drops started falling turning immediately into blinding waterfalls. "Coop!" She screamed. Not even looking, Summer scrambled up from the beach and stumbled toward her house. Now she was safe inside, but the lights were out. Realizing that Marissa was not right behind her, Summer starting feeling dread. She sprinted back to the door and peered out into the fading dusk. Marissa had stopped at the edge of the beach and was facing the ocean. Her long brown hair whipped around her shielding her face. Her arms were raised up slightly as she slowly started to turn. Faster and faster she turned as the wind howled around her creating a force of power. Rain poured down, and slowly she lifted her face up to the sky with her eyes closed. Summer looked worriedly as the now approaching clouds turned even a darker purple magenta. "Coop! What are you doing? Get in here!" Summer shrieked into the wind. Marissa turned startled and for a moment it looked as if she was going to fall off the side of the hill. She managed to find her footing and with once glance back at the sea she ran to Summer. "What on earth were you doing out there Marissa?" scolded Summer just like a mother. _

_"I don't know Sum." Marissa mumbled against the towel now around her shaking shoulders. "I just…I guess I just feel free."_

_Summer looked at her friend and laughed; her fear now forgotten. "Coop, you are one strange girl. Let's go eat all the ice cream before it all melts…" _

"You always did love storms now that I think about it." Summer commented looking at her friend with fondness. "I never could understand. They just plain scared me."

"You always were a chicken when it would thunderstorm at night", Marissa commented starting to laugh.

"Hey! You were scared of horror movies!" Summer held up her cookie as a threat.

"No, no Summer! Not another food fight! We just cleaned up the last one." Marissa warned quickly.

"Hey, what is going on in here? Seth questioned as he rambled toward the two girls. Leaning down, he placed a soft kiss on Summer's cheek and in the process stole her cookie.

"Cohen! I was going to eat that!" Summer grabbed Seth's arm and twisted until he started to whimper.

"Cut it out guys," Ryan joked as he walked in with Grace asleep on his shoulder. "Go get a room if you want to continue. I don't want my daughter to hear that" He laughed meaning the whimpering sounds Seth was squeaking out.

"Really Sum, let him go. I think you taught him never to steal your cookie." Marissa commented while walking over to Ryan and placing a soft kiss on her daughter's silky chocolate curls. Ryan reached for her arm as she turned away and placed a chastise kiss on her forehead. She signed and leaned into him against the corner as his hand found its familiar path around her waist.

"I mean it, Cohen. Do not ever attempt to steal my cookie ever again. If you do, I will make sure you never…" Summer whispered a threat in his ear, and Seth turned red.

"Doily noted, dear," Seth winced as he rubbed his arm and grabbed Summer in a big bear hug. "I'll just steal Nealy's next time. She has not learned the female maneuver of making a male cry yet."

Ryan gave a snort and adjusted Grace's dead weight in his arms. "That is what you think, man. Wait until you have a daughter of your own and that tries to milk you for half your worth. She must get it from her mother here."

"Ryan Atwood! That is not true and you know it!"

"What part isn't true?"

"The part about her milking you for half your worth. I really have not taught her properly if she can't get her way in everything!" Marissa grinned cheekily at her husband and walked over getting a glass of water.

Seth laughed and thumped Ryan on the back. "You are so whipped man, but don't worry. I know someday we are going to get our revenge."

"Revenge?" Summer questioned.

"This is between Ryan and me, Summer. I'm sorry to say this is an A and B conversation. C your way out of here."

Watching Summer start to bristle, Ryan turned to his wife and said "So, I think I will go put Grace down and start getting ready for bed. Are you coming Ris?" He questioned while giving his wife a swift wink and smiling as her eyes' lit up brightly. "I know how you get when there are storms brewing around."

"Right behind you, dear," she said slyly. "I think I might need some help relaxing tonight." Turning to Seth and Summer and laughing at their gag me looks she asked, "Are you guys all set for the night?"

"Ew, Coop. That was a total over share! But Cohen, and I are fine. We'll hold down the fort tonight."

"Right, well good night then. Don't kill each other," Marissa said as she grabbed Ryan's hand, and they slowly made their way down the hallway softly talking to each other. Ryan reached over and gave her a tender kiss as they parted at Grace's door. Her voice was heard as she called for Nealy and Ella.

"Man, three kids later and they are still at it. We should remind them that our max at baby-sitting is three and that is pushing it."

Summer laughed remembering the past two days and reached for another cookie while looking at Seth suspiciously.

"I won't touch it. I promise."

To be continued...

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews! Let me know what you think about this chapter! I promise the next few chapters won't be so fluffy, but it is so fun to write! There is a purpose to this story!


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own the OC

Chapter Five

The frosty air circled around the cottage by the sea freezing everything in its path. The leaves that had turned to magnificent hues had faded and dropped slowly as the days became darker. Thanksgiving had come and gone bringing with it the excitement of Christmas in the Atwood home. Secrets were being kept and hidden in mysterious places. Just last week, Ryan had went to retrieve some eggs from the refrigerator when Ella came blasting in yelling for him to get out of the refrigerator. Nealy had been caught digging countless holes in the backyard. By the end of the week, Ryan and Marissa had to have a serious discussion with their two girls about "appropriate" hiding places that resulted in the confiscation of several questionable items. Needless to say, both girls had refused to talk to their parents for the rest of the night. However, dawn was just approaching and everything hung in that suspended silence right before the alarm went off.

Ryan turned over slightly squinting at the clock and seeing that it was only 5:45 groaned falling back on his pillows. Marissa moved slightly burying her head deeper into his shoulder while slapping a hand across his chest. Wincing slightly, he looked down at his wife of nine years as she slept deeply wrapped around him. He reached over with his free hand and slightly brushed her hair away from her face. She still looked very pale, and Ryan gently traced her dark circles with his thumb. She had not been feeling well lately, and he was getting worried. However, Marissa kept insisting that she was just exhausted from working and running around with three kids. He looked at the clock again and reached over right before the alarm went blaring. Hopefully, Marissa would sleep for an extra couple of minutes. He carefully unwrapped his arm from around her waist and removed her arm that had been sprawled across his chest. Slipping from her embrace, he maneuvered himself out of the bed when suddenly he tripped and fell on the covers that were dragging across the floor. Cursing silently, he looked up at Marissa quickly, but all she did was turn around in her sleep and muttered, "Ducks like cake Grace…" and gave a quiet sign falling back to sleep deeply.

Ryan laughed silently at his wife and leaned over and gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead while heading out of the room. Walking down the stairs, he mentally started listing everything that needed to be done today. He walked in to the kitchen and paused staring at his oldest that sat there eating cereal while watching cartoons.

"Nealy, what are you doing up so early?"

Nealy jumped at her father's voice and turned sheepishly around in her seat. "Oh, morning Dad. I just woke up and couldn't fall back to sleep." She shrugged her shoulders and looked down at her cereal concentrating hard on spooning up the colorful flakes.

"Is everything okay, pumpkin? Usually you sleep in as long as you can on the weekends?"

Nealy stared up at her father with bright big eyes that seemed to make her appear much older. Ryan stared at the eight year old that seemed to be carrying a huge weight on her shoulders. "Dad, is everything okay with Mom? She hasn't been her self lately. I know we don't make it easy on her, but…"

"Nelly Belly," Ryan interrupted walking over and hugging her. "Your Mom is fine. I think she has been just feeling under the weather lately. The holidays are always stressful. Don't you worry about it."

"Really, Daddy?" Nealy looked up at her father eyes bright that were threatening to fall but stubbornly refusing. Her gaze was full of trust.

Ryan swallowed back his own worry and gave her what he hopped was a genuine smile. "She will be feeling fine in a few days. Again, don't worry about it. Your Mom loves all three of you dearly." He tugged on her ponytail and wiped the lone tear that had finally fallen. "How about you and I make a surprise breakfast for everybody?"

"Okay! Can we have waffles? Mommy loves waffles."

"So does somebody else I know," Ryan teased while moving around the counter and getting down the flour.

"Well, yeah," Nealy said shyly, "but so does Ella."

"What about me?" Demanded a sleepy little voice at the door.

"Morning, El." Ryan said as the five year old walked over with her yellow blanket trailing on the floor. He lifted her up and placed her on the counter while brushing her brown hair from her eyes. "We are making breakfast for Mommy, do you want to help?" Ella gave a nod, and Ryan handed her the measuring cup and showed her how much milk to pour.

Marissa slowly opened her tired eyes feeling a headache come on immediately. Groaning, she turned over in bed and reached for Ryan but stopped her hand movements when she realized he wasn't there. Looking at the clock, she saw it was a quarter to eight. Rubbing her eyes, she was surprised at how quiet the house was. Leaning back on her pillows, she turned her head as she heard the door squeak quietly. A little brown head was peering into the semi dark room, and Marissa could make out two chocolate colored eyes.

"Come here baby," she called out as Ella crept into the room.

The little girl gave a running start and flopped onto the bed landing on top of Marissa.

"Ump, morning Ella Bella." Marissa laughed as her daughter pushed her self up on the pillows and started playing with her hair.

"Morning, Mommy. How are you feeling? Better?" Her dark brown eyes bored into Marissa worriedly.

"I'm feeling much better now, Ella Bella," Marissa murmured, "especially now that you are here." With that, Marissa reached over and tickled her little girl on her tummy.

"Stop that Mommy!" Ella giggled trying to scrim away.

"What is this Miss Ella?" Ryan questioned at the doorway trying to hide his smile with baby Grace balanced in his arms. "I sent you up to see if Mommy was awake and find you having a tickling match?" He smiled as Ella continued laughing, and Marissa beamed up at him tiredly.

"Mama, Mama!" Grace demanded reaching out with two chubby little arms to her mother.

"Come here, sweetie," Marissa held out her arms as Ryan walked over. He gave her Grace while leaning down and brushing a kiss across her lips. She smiled up at him and pulled him down for another while Grace settled herself comfortably in her mother's arms. Ella was bouncing up and down excitedly hardly containing the secret surprise breakfast.

"Stop bouncing El," Ryan said softly while searching Marissa's face as she leaned down and wiggled noses with Grace. He thought she looked flushed now compared to earlier. He reached over and felt her forehead as she looked up startled.

"What's wrong Ry?"

"Nothing, nothing is wrong." He smiled and nodded at Ella who had stopped bouncing and was looking up at them questionably.

She smiled sadly and turned to Ella with a bright cheery voice, "So Ella, what is the big secret?" Ella clamped her hand over her mouth and shook her head while muttering NO between her fingers. Marissa looked at Ryan quickly and mouthed, "Aspirin."

Nodding his head, Ryan headed into the bathroom thinking that she had been getting a lot more headaches than usual. Walking back into the room with two aspirin and a thermometer his hand, he saw the three playing patty cake in bed. Suddenly a loud shriek was heard from downstairs and a scream, "DAD!" Ella bounced off the bed and made beeline downstairs.

Marissa looked up at him curiously and said, "Should I be worried?"

"No, no." He signed while climbing back into bed with her. "We were making you breakfast, or at least trying but it sounds like something went horribly wrong."

"Oh, well it was a sweet idea Ryan." Marissa snuggled into his arms with Grace on her lap interlacing their hands together and closing her eyes.

He looked down at her about to say something and suddenly remembered the aspirin and thermometer. Silently, he handed her the aspirin and held up the thermometer.

"Open wide," he gently teased as she shot him a look but complied. "I'm worried about you Riss. I thought at first you just had a slight case of the flu or something, but it doesn't seem to be getting better. You keep getting headaches more and more lately. I think you should go see a doctor."

Marissa shook her head from side to side and mumbled against the thermometer, "I'm fine Ryan, really. Like you said, I'm just a little under the weather. I don't need to go see a doctor, I'm…" she was interrupted by the thermometer beeping.

Ryan reached over and looked at the screen. It glowed an alarmingly 102.8. Wordlessly, Ryan handed it over to Marissa who looked at the numbers with wide eyes. Turning back to Ryan, she met his pleading dark blue eyes. "Please, Marissa. You need to go to the doctor's. I don't care if you don't want to go. If I have to, I will make you go." He threatened helplessly desperate to get her to go.

She looked into his eyes silently and glanced back at the numbers. Leaned over, she placed a soft kiss on his mouth and murmured against his lips, "I'll go."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

To be continued….


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own the OC

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews! I appreciate them. Mayhem is mainly a Ryan/Marissa story just to clarify but Seth and Summer play a part.

Chapter Six

The school yard was full of screams and yells. Little boys chased little girls around the slides while teachers grabbed students handing out timeouts for various crimes. The sunlight streamed in the cold air creating puff clouds as kids breathed throughout shrieks of joy. School was finally over for the day, and everybody was ready to go home. Ella Atwood stood on the steps of the school gripping her Snoopy backpack possessively. All the other kindergarten kids were being picked up by their mommies, but Ella's was no where in sight. She searched for the familiar red color car, but only saw June's mother pick her up, Timmy's nanny was holding his hand, and the two evil twins Nancy and Ned were whining to their step mom. Everybody was being picked up, but Ella. Two fat tears slowly dripped down her face as she wiped her nose on the sleeve of her coat. A shadow crossed her vision path.

"Ella, honey. Is your Mommy not here yet?" Questioned Mrs. Montgomery, Ella's kindergarten teacher.

Ella moved her head miserably, and looked up into Mrs. Montgomery's kind green eyes. "I don't know where she is. She is always here."

"Did your Mom or Dad say anything this morning about who would be picking you up from school?"

"No," whispered Ella. "All I know is that Mommy had a doctor's appointment, but she promised she was going to pick me up. Tonight is my night to choose the movie, and we were going to stop at the movie store on the way home."

Mrs. Montgomery frowned worriedly, but plastered a bright smile on her face. "Well, I'm sure she is just running a little late. Have you seen Nealy?"

"No," Ella had completely forgotten about her sister, but now she looked up searchingly for Nealy's bright colored hair. "I don't see her no where."

Mrs. Montgomery put her arms around the little girl, and stroked her back as she looked out into the sea of students searching for Ella's older sister. Suddenly, Ella gave a start next to her and went running down the steps into the arms of a petite black haired woman who had swept her up in a hug. She made her way over to the two trying to place the woman.

"Aunt Summer, I was so scared. Mommy didn't come, and I didn't know what to do. She promised, Aunt Summer, that I could pick the movie tonight! It's so not fair!"

"I know baby, I know Ella Bella." Summer said stroking the little girl's curls trying to find comfort. She noticed a woman walking toward them with a question in her eyes.

"Hello, I'm Alice Montgomery, Ella's teacher."

"Oh," Summer struggled to hold out a hand while balancing Ella in her arms. "I'm Summer Cohen, Ella's aunt. I'm here to pick her up instead of Marissa."

Mrs. Montgomery took in the young woman's puffy red eyes and messy hair and gave her a sad smile. "I'm so glad to meet you Summer. Ella is always talking about you and an Uncle Seth."

Summer smiled slightly at this and turned her attention back to Ella. "Ella Bella, where is Nealy?"

"I don't know Aunt Sum. She didn't ever ever show up." Ella threw her hands up as emphasis and almost knocked Summer and her down.

"Ella Bella, I think you are getting too big to be carried. Lets go find Nealy. It was very nice to meet you Mrs. Montgomery." She grabbed Ella's hand and Snoopy backpack that the little girl had insisted on getting and walked into the school. "Show me where Nealy's classroom is." Ella nodded and skipped down the hallway all fear forgotten chattering happily about how Johnny had pulled Emily's hair at recess. Summer pushed her hair off her face and followed trying to block the last few hours.

_"Mary, I'm going to need those sketches by tomorrow okay? And please tell Allen not to use hot pink as the…" Summer was interrupted by her phone ringing. Reaching over, she picked it up while waving Mary out of her office. "Hello, Summer Cohen here."_

_"Summer, it's Ryan_."

"This is her classroom Aunt Summer. She has a man for her teacher." Ella made a face as if that was the worst thing in the world.

_"Oh, hey Chino. Is there a reason you are calling me at work for?" She busily started crossing off items on the list while talking._

_"Summer, I'm at the doctor's with Marissa. I need you to go pick up Nealy and Ella for me."_

Summer peered into the classroom with Ella at her side looking for her niece.

_"Ryan," Summer complained distracted as Bob stopped by with papers for her to sign. "I really don't have the time to…wait. Why are you at the doctor's with Marissa? Ryan what is going on?" Summer heard him take a deep breath, and it sounded like he was trying not to break down. "Ryan, what on earth is going on?"_

Nealy sat slumped in the chair writing line by line on a piece of paper her long blond hair messily falling out of her ponytail. Summer's heart gave a painful thump looking at her best friend's daughter. Her eyes started to tear and for a moment it was as if she was staring at an eight year old Marissa.

_"Summer, we are actually at the hospital waiting for test results to get back. We've been here since eight this morning. I…I'm not sure what is going on."_

"Nealy, what are you doing?" Ella whispered loudly as Nealy looked up startled.

_There was a pause and Summer felt her heart tighten painfully. _

Nealy's face changed to complete defiance, and she brushed her hair out of her eyes while glancing at the man sitting at the desk in the corner.

"Hi, I'm Mr. Brown, Nealy's teacher."

"Summer Cohen, her aunt." Summer looked confused while offering her hand. "Why is Nealy still here in the class? She was supposed to meet her sister Ella out front?"

"I'm afraid there was a problem."

_"I…I think it's bad," he whispered brokenly trying to find strength. _

"It wasn't my fault Aunt Summer," Nealy stated while staring frostily at her teacher. "Dean Thomas started it. He was teasing a bunch of girls and went too far. I had to teach him a lesson."

_Summer felt everything go numb and painless. She couldn't speak at first, but then finally forced words out. "I'll get the girls and stay with them as long as needed. I…I, Ryan…it is going to be okay." Summer wondered if it sounded as hollow as it felt. "I'll call Seth and tell him to meet you at the hospital. Tell Coop I love her." _

Summer didn't know how she had left her office and driven to the school where she saw Ella sitting dejected on the steps. She didn't even know if she called Seth. Now Nealy was in after school detention for fighting, and Ella was hanging on her pant leg looking scared. Summer felt scared to. "Can she go?" Mr. Brown nodded and Nealy stood up and grabbed her stuff.

"Aunt Sum, why are you here and not Mom?" She suddenly looked worried and glanced at Ella who was being uncharacteristically quiet staring at the floor. Summer didn't know what to say. She was supposed to protect these two little girls from the harsh world. She had promised.

_"I can't believe you're pregnant again Coop!" Summer shrieked into the phone. "Nealy is only two!"_

_"I know Sum, I know," Marissa rolled her eyes at Ryan who had a slight grin on his face. They had just found out a couple of hours ago and were ridiculously happy. _

_"Don't you roll your eyes at me Marissa Atwood!" Summer teased. She was so happy for her friends. "I bet you and Ryan can't stop smiling." _

_Marissa glanced at her husband and giggled at his goofy smile. "Yeah, we're ecstatic," she said softly while looking at Ryan with a soft light in her eyes. Ryan walked over to her and sat down next to her. Pulling her into his lap, he pressed his lips against her temple as she chatted with Summer about the possible names. Marissa leaned back against him thankfully and beamed that smile up at him that still made his stomach flip flop. "Summer," Marissa said suddenly serious, "Promise me that you will be there for both of my children."_

_"Jeeze, Coop. A little paranoid?" Summer teased, but grew serious. "I promise you Marissa that I will protect your little babies with my life. Seth's too. I won't let anything happen to them."_

_"Thanks Sum, you're the best…" _

Summer stared down into the chocolate and sky orbs of her nieces' and found her eyes start to tear. She was not able to protect them against everything; their world was about to come tumbling down.

To be continued…


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own the OC

Chapter Seven

The disinfectant smell of the hospital permutated every pore as it wafted down the busy hallways. Doctors and nurses rushed from room to room pulling charts heaped high with equipment and yelling at each other randomly. The lights were sterile white beaming the hard truth on the occupants. Ryan Atwood sat in the uncomfortable chair hunched over supporting his head on his hands. He was surrounded by chaos, but took no part. He was numb to everything.

Seth Cohen raced down the hallway frantically almost colliding into the reception desk at the corner. "Marissa Atwood," he gasped to the lady trying to find his breath as she adjusted her glasses and turned up her hearing aide.

"What is that deary?"

"I need to know," Seth spit out frustrated, "where Marissa Atwood is?"

"Humm, Atwood…Atwood. I don't see a…wait a minute. Did you say Marissa Atwood?"

"Yes," Seth forced between his lips while frantically turning his head trying to see his brother.

"She is in room 104, and…"

But Seth was already racing down the hall to the stairs. Taking them two at a time, a million thoughts ran through his head in a jumble. Yanking the bright blue door open, he stopped suddenly as if he ran into glass. Ryan sat in the too bright room alone in the corner with a vacant expression in his eyes. Seth had only seen that look once before and shuddered at the mere memory.

_Seth was just on his way to continue his little marathon of PS2 when the door bell rang. Waiting to see if Summer got it, he groaned as the chime was heard again throughout the house echoing its demand. "Coming, coming…jeeze can't we be a little patient…" Seth stopped rambling as he looked at a soaking wet Ryan standing at his doorstep. "Ryan, my man. Here for a little Seth/Ryan time? Because you know…" Seth looked at Ryan closer and swallowed noticing his vacant almost desperate look. "Dude, what's the matter?" Seth had never seen Ryan look this way before, and truthfully it was a little creepy. . _

_Ryan looked up at Seth as if he just noticed that he was there. He swallowed trying to say something but ended up mouthing air. Trying again, he managed to mumble, "She left." _

_"Who left? You're not making any sense Ryan?"_

_"Marissa left. She left for good." He met Seth's confused glance with his own ghost like stare. "She's gone…" _

Walking across the empty waiting room, Seth slid into the seat next to Ryan and glanced at the clock. It was 8:45 already. Looking back at Ryan, he saw that his brother had not moved at all but sat staring off into space brooding. Signing, Seth leaned back in his chair and tried to think of something to say. He never had had this problem before. "Ryan…"

Ryan's head snapped up startled and turned to Seth just realizing that he was there. "Seth, what are you doing here?"

"Summer called frantically three hours ago, but I got stuck in traffic on the way back to L.A. I'm sorry I wasn't here earlier."

"But Seth, why are you here?" Ryan looked at him slightly puzzled.

"Because," Seth hesitated confused at Ryan's behavior. What was going on? "Summer said I needed to get down here as soon as possible because something was wrong with Marissa." Seth chose his words carefully watching for Ryan's reaction.

Ryan shook his head slightly and muttered, "She is going to be fine. She is going to be fine."

He continued his mantra while Seth watched fearfully. Ryan seemed to be in complete shock over what ever was going on or in denial. Either one was freaking Seth out. By repeating each sentence, he seemed to be trying to reassure himself of the truth.

"Ryan, man. I need to know exactly what is going on."

Ryan turned to Seth with hardened eyes and spoke harshly, "She is going to be fine. There is nothing wrong."

Seth swallowed again and started to say something but stopped as the door opened and a middle age woman walked into the room with a clipboard. Seth felt Ryan stiffen next to him and looked at the lady with a new sense of foreboding.

"Mr. Atwood, the test results have come back. Why don't we go to my office and talk…"

To be continued….

Author's note: Thanks for the reviews! I really appreciate them! Let me know what you think so far.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I don't own the OC

Chapter Eight

The hospital had finally quieted down and a silence haunted the hallways and crept through the doors. Night nurses sat at desks watching late night TV on mute as others walked the halls checking on the patients. The lights had been finally dimmed casting an almost heavenly light in the darkening rooms. Occasional burst of tears or moans were heard, but for the most part it was silent. Ryan Atwood walked down the hallway and stopped at the door of his wife's room. Steeling himself, he pushed the door open releasing his breath in a whoosh. Marissa sat propped up in the bed with the remote in her hand. Looking at the TV, he recognized a rerun of _I Love Lucy_ and watched as Marissa laughed softly at the antics on screen. He felt himself being torn into two. Whatever Seth had forced him to eat rebelled and started churning angrily. Making a fist, he turned and closed the door behind.

Marissa turned startled and smiled a tired grin. "Hey, I was wondering where you went off to. I woke up, and you were gone."

"Sorry, I…I didn't want to disturb you so I went for a walk." He felt his voice shake slightly and steeled himself. She looked up at him calculating and patted the bed next to her. Walking over quickly, he climbed in next to her as she scooted over to make room. "I don't think I'm supposed to be in the bed too, Riss." He signed as she leaned her head against his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his torso. He felt her smile against his cheek.

"I don't know about you. But I don't think we were ever ones to follow the rules." She glanced up through tired lashes and gently traced his lips. Leaning down, Ryan kissed her tenderly full of warmth, comfort, and peace trying to convey that everything was going to be okay. She signed contently, and murmured. "I have been cold all day. Nothing could warm me up. Not even a couple of blankets and the heat turned up. Now, I feel incredibly warm." Placing a kiss on his forehead as she starred into his eyes, "Do you know what you do to me?"

Watching as her eyes grew slightly darker with passion; he leaned down and kissed her desperately willing her to stay with him forever. She broke apart gasping and nearly climbed into his lap wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning her head against his chest. Ryan rubbed her back as she let herself fall into him completely almost begging for him to take away the fear. Silence descended the small room as the two individual became lost in their own thoughts.

Marissa felt herself begin to fidget, unable to stand the silence. Looking up at his closed eyes, she felt something inside of her start to break. "Ryan…" she started unable to go on but unable to stop at the same time.

Ryan opened his eyes and found himself drowning in his wife's blue eyes just like his daughter's. Swallowing, he placed a kiss on her forehead and glanced back into her eyes trying to determine how close she was coming to breaking down. He saw fear and worry surrounding her darker orbs, but what surprised him was the strength and courage pouring from her glance. She had changed since becoming a wife and mother. It took more to break her nowadays. Still, he couldn't do this to her, but he had to. With his two hands, he clasped her face into his hands and made her look at him in the eye. She met his stare straight on gripping his arms for strength more than balance. "The test results came back." She said nothing, but kept on starring into his eyes emotionlessly. "They found a mass, a tumor. Marissa, you have a tumor in your brain." He saw her eyes widen slightly and the fear came lurking beneath the shadowy depths. He felt himself start to crumble and a lone tear dripped down his face. He wanted to take away her pain.

Marissa looked at him puzzled and gently caught the tear on her finger. Ryan never cried. Leaning over, she placed her forehead against his while never allowing her eyes to leave his. She watched as he reached up and brushed gently at her cheeks. She was surprised to see his fingers wet, she had not even known she was crying. How long they sat like that starring into each others' eyes, they did not know.

Trying to find warmth and comfort, Ryan pulled her even closer until not even a breath separated them. He could smell her strawberry shampoo and slightly baby powered smell from Grace. Tracing her features as if he was trying to memorize her face, he saw her slowly close her eyes. Thinking she had fallen asleep, he was startled when she opened her eyes and started speaking.

"I'm not going to leave you or the girls, Ryan." She gazed into his eyes and spoke each word carefully. "I'm going to beat this, we all are." Smiling gently in the silver moonlight she continued, "I want to see Grace start kindergarten, get into fights with Nealy because you know that is going to happen (Ryan chuckled slightly at that wondering how she could still make him laugh), watch Ella go on to college, and grow old with you rocking on the front porch…" She stumbled slightly with her words and glanced up at Ryan with liquid glistening on her eyelashes.

In that moment, Ryan could just stare in awe at the woman that was his wife. Placing a sweet kiss on her lips, he felt their strength pour into each other making each stronger. Watching as she readjusted herself in his arms, she drifted off to sleep as Ryan slowly stroked her long hair tangling down her back. Lying in the tiny hospital bed with silver moonlight glittering around the two, he looked down at his wife and whispered, "I love you."

Slowly her eyes drifted open and she gave him a lazy smile, "I love you." Breathing deeply, she went back to sleep tightening her grip around him. Tightening his own arms around her desperate to have her as close as possible, he watched her slip off to sleep. With her tangled hair, too pale face, and slightly smudged black rings under her eyes, Ryan never thought she looked more beautiful and felt another tear drip down his face.

To be continued! Sorry that was a little mushy, but I felt that it had to be.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I don't own the OC

Chapter Nine

Twilight had descended surrounding the cottage by the sea in a comforting embrace. In fact, the night was strangely silent. The cold crisp air perked up the night while stars glittered hopefully under the silver moon. A thin ribbon of gray drifted up from the crooked chimney keeping the occupants of the Atwood household warm and snug. Seth Cohen tugged up the long driveway in the cold shriving while blowing on his almost frozen hands. Looking up at the quiet house, he saw the Christmas candles in the windows that Marissa had insisted on brightly shining like a beacon. Beside the faint glow they cast, the house was dark. The garage door was closed up tightly and each door was locked up tight. He felt his chest tighten as he stared at the merry Christmas wreath hung on the door with such care.

"_So this is the house?"_

_"Yeah, this is the house. As soon as Marissa saw it, she insisted that it was perfect, just like a fairy tale."_

_Seth starred at the comfortable cottage that definitely looked like it belonged in Cinderella or Snow White. Going with the European architecture, it was not like anything else in Newport. Seth could see why Marissa loved it. The house looked like it had three floors and a crooked chimney gave it charm and personality. A small tower rose from within the many peaks giving it an eternal look. The driveway was long and winding giving into a spectacular view of the sandy dunes that graced Newport. It was not too big nor too small, just perfect. However, it was a mess. Windows hung from the panes and the paint was peeling badly. Looking over at Ryan, Seth saw him smiling slightly as he had been in the past couple of months. _

_"So this is the house."_

_"Yeah, this is where we are going to live. We need a place of our own now that the baby is on the way. I know it doesn't look like much now but it will someday." _

_Seth could see that Ryan loved the house just as much probably because Marissa loved it so much. The two were so uncharacteristically happy that it was sickening sometimes. He could see the two living here happily and starting a family. Toys would be scattered all over the sloping yard, and it would be awesome in winter for sledding once it was fixed up. God, it was going to give Summer ideas, he thought not too unhappy at the thought. _

_"Well, it has my approval as long as I have free reign. Don't worry, I won't mess with your marriage bliss, but only stop by when I run out of food or decide that a little…" _

Rubbing his eyes tiredly, Seth continued to the door and slipped the key into the brass lock. Ryan and Marissa had been happy for the most part in this fairy tale cottage fixing it up over the years committed on making it the perfect home. Stepping quietly into the house, he banged his shin on the umbrella stand as his eyes adjusted to the dark. He could just make out the faint glow of a fire creating patterns across the cherry floor giving it a blushing look. Peering into the living room, he found four shapes huddled on the coach slumbering under the thick blankets. Actually, only two were sleeping. He made out Ella's light brown hair and Grace's slightly darker head pillowed against Summer as she looked up at him wearily. She did not smile. Nealy sat with her head resting on Summer's shoulder eyes far too large for her young face. She looked exhausted and desperate. Seth bet they all looked like that. Without saying a word, he worked his way into the human pretzel and hugged Summer around the shoulders while gently giving Nealy a kiss on her forehead. Nealy's blue pools deepened and a lone tear dripped down her pale cheek. Summer looked caught between furious and hysterical.

"So, I was thinking maybe we could go to the hospital tomorrow to visit your Mom and Dad, what do you think Nealy? I think your Mom would love to see you all."

Nealy just nodded her head and continued staring out to space. Summer reached over and pulled the young girl into a hug. "Honey, it is okay to cry. It is okay to let it all go," her voice wobbled slightly as she starred into her niece's eyes so much like her mother's. Nealy closed her eyes tightly trying to quench the pain but a sob broke through her defenses and soon one followed another and she couldn't stop.

"It's not fair, Aunt Summer. It's not fair. I need my Mommy, I need…"her words were lost as she hiccupped into Summer's lap overwrought with grief.

Seth reached out and rubbed her back soothingly worried that she was going to make herself sick. Glancing into Summer's dark chocolate eyes, he felt himself start to crack at her expression. Her face was bunched up in pain desperately trying to be strong but failing miserably. "Oh, baby," he whispered pulling her and Nealy into his arms. "Oh, sweethearts, everything will work out. Marissa is a fighter. Look at her; she has been fighting her entire life. You know Nealy; your Mom has changed a lot in the past couple of years."

Nealy looked up at him wonderingly through eyes clogged with liquid.

"Oh, yes. Since marrying your father and having the three of you, she has become extremely strong. So much stronger than she used to. She knows she has a lot to fight against, but even more to lose. And we are not going to give up on her that easy."

Nealy managed a weak smile and buried her head on Summer's shoulder quickly succumbing to sleep like her sisters exhausted. Summer rearrange herself in Seth's arms more comfortably balancing her best friend's babies. Reaching up to his ear, she whispered a quiet, "Thank you."

To be continued!

Thank you so much for the reviews, they were great!


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I don't own the OC

Chapter 10

The waves crashed restlessly plundering the sand as crystal sparkle stars shone down on the millions of anticipating children being tucked into bed with visions of sugar plums. The cottage by the sea was iced with streaks of bright color giving the overall look of a gingerbread house from a fairy tale. In every window, shone a brightly lit candle illuminating the sign stuck crookedly into the ground telling the world that _Santa Stops Here._The faint hint of _Deck the Halls_ resounded throughout the calm night adding to the holiday spirit. The cottage itself was lit up from within with tempting smells drifting through the crack window in the kitchen. Sandy and Kristen Cohen tugged up the stairs with presents piled high in their arms and managed to ring the doorbell. High pitched shrieks were heard inside and they exchanged smiles. The door was flung open and there stood Ryan decked out in a red sweater for Christmas with a slight smile on his face.

"Sandy, Kirsten. I'm so glad you could make it."

"We wouldn't miss it for anything," beamed Kristen standing on her tiptoes and giving him a big hug. She hugged him a little bit tighter, and released him while looking up into his eyes. He looked tired and his blue eyes didn't shine so brightly, but Kristen didn't want to bring it up quite yet.

"Honey, move over so I can give our favorite son a hug." Ryan grinned as Sandy enclosed him in a big hug while clapping him on his back. "Merry Christmas, Ryan."

"Thanks, don't let Seth hear that…"

"Favorite? Favorite! Ryan is the favorite? And what I'm I? The leftovers? At least, we know that I am the funny one."

"Right son, right." Sandy grinned as Kristen threw her arms around Seth and muffled, "My little boy, all grown up!"

"Mom, please that was a little embarrassing!" Seth attempted to wipe his mother's kisses of his cheeks while making his way over to Sandy and giving him a hug while rolling his eyes.

Suddenly a blur was seen followed by a yellow streak that threw themselves into their grandparents' arms.

"Grandpa, grandma you came!" Sandy lifted Ella off the floor and gave her a small twirl. "Did you bring any presents!"

"Ella," scolded Ryan gently while looking at Sandy with a don't-look-at me-you are the one that spoils her and its Christmas look.

Ella pouted charmingly and leaned into Sandy while whispering loudly in his ear, "I've have been a very good girl this week. I didn't pull Nealy's hair or make Grace cry."

Sandy laughed and pinched her cheek, "Only this week, huh El?"

Ella smiled up at him and looked over at Nealy that was being held captive in Kristen's arms, "Nealy didn't get into any fights this week, Grandpa." She smiled victoriously at Nealy as she turned bright red.

"Ella! I didn't tell Mom that you were the one that went through her makeup and smeared it all over Grace!"

"Girls!" Laughed Kristen while steering Nealy toward the kitchen. "Let's go see if Summer needs any help in the kitchen." Both girls followed their grandma into the kitchen chattering merrily about school and Santa Claus.

Summer looked up from the turkey she was trying to baste while wiping her hair off her hot face. "Kristen, Merry Christmas." She was pulled into a hug and felt herself relax into the older woman's arms.

"Merry Christmas, sweetie. Has Seth been driving you crazy? He is still like a little kid around this time."

"Tell me about it," Summer huffed but smiled as Nealy quickly snuck a piece of frosting from the pie. "Nelly Belly, leave that alone!" Nealy looked up sheepishly as Ella demanded Kristen to tell a story about Daddy and Uncle Seth when they were younger. Summer smiled as she listened to Kristen's smooth calm voice wash over her and continued basting.

Meanwhile Sandy, Ryan, and Seth had adjoined to the living room where a fire crackled merrily. "So, Ryan. Where is your lovely wife?" Sandy's eyes penetrated Ryan's eyes with concern and worry.

"She is laying down for a couple of minutes. In fact, let me go see if she is awake. She was so happy that you and Kristen could make it."

"Wouldn't miss it for the world." Sandy smiled and followed Ryan with his eyes as he walked up the stairs. "So," turning to Seth, "how bad is it really?"

Seth swallowed and watched Ryan disappear around the corner, "It's not good Dad, but somehow the both of them are hanging in there. I think they are trying not to ruin the holidays for the girls. Marissa starts radiation in a week."

Sandy starred at Seth sadly and leaned back in his chair deep in thought. The fire crackled loudly over the silence as both occupants became lost in their own thoughts with the faint noise of the girls voices in the kitchen as background music.

Ryan walked up the stairs two at a time fully aware that Sandy and Seth were following his movements closely. Taking a moment leaning against the door, he ran a hand raggedly down his face. He really hated the holidays. It had gotten a lot better since moving in with the Cohens, marrying Marissa, and having three little girls full of excitement and wonder, but everything bad seemed to happen around this year. Pushing the door open quietly, he peeked into the dark room and was surprised to see the bed rumpled but empty. Walking quickly to the bathroom with a sense of dread, he breathed a sign of relief when it became obvious that it was empty. In the past week, Marissa had been continuously getting sick emptying her stomach of everything she had eaten that day. Ryan felt his heart thump painfully at the thought of his wife in pain. Walking back into the room, he noticed her dressing gown thrown carelessly across the bed and then turned suddenly as he heard her voice from somewhere down the hall.

"Hello, Button. How is Mommy's baby doing? Are you excited that it's Christmas? You properly don't remember the last one. Sweetie, you are getting so big and…"

Ryan stood in the doorway silently watching his wife interact with their youngest daughter as she picked Grace up from the crib and gave her a butterfly kiss.

"Mama, Mama!"

"That's right Gracie, did you have a sweet nap?"

"Na?"

"Yes, a nap." Marissa smiled down at her daughter's big gray eyes so much like Ryan's but at the same time not. Out of all three girls, Grace looked the most unlike her parents. She apparently inherited the darker hair color from the Copper family, and her eyes were almost like Ryan's beside the color that he claimed came from his grandmother.

Smoothing her daughter's wispy hair, she turned startled as Grace babbled, "Dada!"

"Ryan," she held a hand to her chest. "You scared me. You know better than to sneak up on me!" She smiled laughing softly and took Grace over to the changing table intent to get her dressed as Ryan gazed at his wife. Pulling a little white dress from the corner, Marissa signed contently as two strong arms wrapped around her waist, and she sank into the familiar strength. Giggling softly as Ryan softly pressed his lips against her neck, she tilted her head to allow him better access. Taking Grace and setting her on the floor, she turned fully into Ryan's embrace resting her head under his chin snuggling up comfortably. Looking up at him, she gave him a quick kiss while moving her hands up his torso and straightening his collar. "My, my don't we look handsome tonight." She smiled up at him and smoothed his hair as he tightened his arms around his waist.

"You, my dear are breathtaking," he whispered huskily into her ear.

Blushing slightly, Marissa grinned a slight crooked smile at Ryan wondering how after all these years he could still make her feel like she was sixteen. And she hardly thought she looked beautiful right now. Not with her dark circles and tired eyes. She had lost weight and nothing fit anymore.

As if reading her thoughts, Ryan reached up a tucked a slight wisp of hair that had escaped her bun and traced her cheek gently. "You are beautiful. You are always beautiful to me and always will be no matter what."

Looking up at him with liquid glistering on her lashes, she crashed her lips desperately against his trying to say what she couldn't. Ryan pulled her closer and the two became lost in each other until a little hand pulled at the bottom of Marissa's black dress.

"Mama! Mama! Dada!" The little girl demanded holding her chubby arms up to them queenly.

Marissa and Ryan laughed as they calmed their breathing. Marissa bent down and picked up Grace only winching slightly at the movement. Such simple things were become slightly harder. Ryan rubbed a hand gently across her back as they walked out of the room and down the stairs while Grace played with the bells attached to her little socks babbling and singing.

"Well, look who decided to join us," teased Sandy from the table where everybody sat waiting to eat with a turkey rising magnificently in the middle.

Kristen rose and gently took Marissa into a hug smiling, "Oh it is so good to see you, sweetie."

Marissa felt herself relax into the woman's embrace that was like a mother to her. She felt her eyes prickle slightly, but pushed the tear from the corner while smiling as Sandy gently elbowed Kristen out of the way and pulled her into a big hug. Not saying anything, Sandy led her over to the seat next to Ryan and Nealy. Sitting down, Marissa kissed Nealy gently on the forehead and tugged on Ella's braid. "Don't you look sweet, Ella Bella."

"You are finally here Mommy! I was a starving and Grandpa and I decided that we both would eat all the turkey and not share it with anybody else!" Ella swept her arms up dramatically as everybody laughed.

For that moment in time, everything seemed okay. Kristen's eyes seemed to be brighter and Summer's smile appeared. Seth told outrageous jokes that had everybody holding their sides desperately, and Nealy giggled again as Sandy teased her. Ella entertained everybody with her antics as Grace commanded an attentive audience. Ryan and Marissa caught each other's eye and smiled hopefully at each other. Maybe everything was going to be okay.

To be continued! Thanks for the reviews!


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I don't own the OC

Chapter 11

Christmas had come and gone in great burst of bright emotion. There had been a yellow tinge full of happiness, green with envy over a sister's gift, red tints full of anger, and dripping blue of tears. Overall, it was a Christmas to be remembered and cherished for years to come. The cottage by the sea sat contently on the cliffs overlooking the ocean leaving its occupants to their lives. Life for a moment was peaceful and controlled. However, it is amazing how fast life can change in a single instant and nothing can return as it was.

Ryan Atwood stood impatiently in the hallway holding the door open and hollered again up the stair, "I'm about to leave right now. I really don't care if all of you are in the car or not, because that means more desert for me. So…" pausing for effect, Ryan strained his ears trying to hear if people were moving around upstairs, "I'm leaving!" He smirked as he heard a shriek and a groan from somewhere upstairs.

"Daddy," whined Ella barreling down the stairs and sticking her tongue out at him. "That's not fair! I want ice cream, too! I just couldn't find Carebear, but I found him in Gracie's room. See?"

Ryan glanced down at the old bear that had faded to an almost whitish look with a green color. Memories hit him, making him smile down at his daughter.

_"Ryan, our child is going to want a stuff animal of some sort and I can't pick one!" Marissa wailed while pacing around the toy store. "I'm a horrible mother already!"_

_Ryan didn't know whether or not to laugh or grimace. At almost nine months pregnant, Marissa (and himself) was ready for this baby to be born. There had been tears, screams, laughs, but Ryan had been tiptoeing around Marissa this past week. She had been a basket case yelling at anybody who got in her way or crying at the smallest thing. However, as he glanced over at her, and he couldn't help the smile that spread over his face. She was absolutely gorgeous. Her hair was pulled up in a messy ponytail that fell down her back and her stomach was like a basketball underneath the flowing shirt she wore. Very little makeup graced her face, and she glowed naturally from the pregnancy. Sometimes, he couldn't take his eyes off of her. "Marissa," he said, walking over to her and stepping in her path. Looking her in the eyes, he pulled her into his arms and signed happily as her stomach bumped him reminding him that everything was worth it. _

_"Marissa, everything is going to be fine. You are going to be a great mother, and this child is going to be loved by everybody." He smiled down at her and placed a sweet kiss on her lips. _

_Smiling up at him, she looped her arms around his neck and leaned back in the circle of his arms. "You know…you are going to be a great Dad, too." Leaning over, she placed a kiss on his nose and giggled as Ryan made a funny face at her. _

_"You know what? I just remembered a certain bear that always watched over its loved ones with a certain stare…" _

_Marissa's face lit up and she said hurriedly, "Carebear, that's perfect Ry!"_

_"We don't need to be here anymore, let's go home." He steered her toward the door while keeping an arm around her shoulders before she saw something else they must have for the baby. _

_She turned to him and looked up charmingly while pouting her lips knowing Ryan couldn't resist that look. Trying to frown at her, but unable Ryan groaned and asked, "What do you want?" Nodding her head toward a stand, she pulled him along by the hand to the ice cream shop and smiled blissfully at all the choices. _

_"So do you want to split a sundae?" Ryan asked eyeing his wife with a slight smile waiting for the burst that was about to come._

_"Share? Share? I don't think so buddy. We are quite hungry today and feel like the Monster Sundae and…" _

_Ryan laughed and pulled her into a hug while whispering into her ear, "I love you…" _

He never imagined himself a family man. Sure marriage was always perhaps a goal, but more out of convenience or necessity rather than love. Marissa had changed all that. Having three daughters was truly a gift, but sometimes a curse. Sometimes he felt like was going to go crazy in a house filled with strawberry shampoo, soap puffs, makeup, and pink everywhere! "Go get in the car, El."

"Nealy! I'm going to beat you to the car!" Giggling like a little maniac, Ella raced outdoors leaving Nealy yelling at her upstairs.

"Dad!" Nealy burst out hopping down the stairs trying to get one purple high-top on and holding the other in her hand. "Ella took my shoes and hid them from me! And…"

"Slow down Nealy!" Ryan laughed at his oldest daughter and letting her balance on his arms while wiggling her foot into her shoe. "Just go get into the car and make sure not to argue with your sister." Watching Nealy race out the door, Ryan wondered when did he turn into such a Dad? He didn't even have one growing up until the Cohen's came into the picture. A crash had him wincing, and he watched as the umbrella stand teetered from Nealy's hasty exit and he hastened to pick it up. Leaning down, he felt a pair of eyes of his back. Straightening up, he smiled up at Marissa standing on top of the stairs with her hands full of Grace. "Enjoying the view?"

"Most certainly. I must admit that it is a mighty fine view." She gave him a sly smile and sauntered down the stairs only pausing to pick up her bag and grabbing a toy for Grace.

"You finally are ready, right? No more, I forgot something or I have to use the bathroom…"

"I'm finally ready, but wait…" she teased him watching his face scrunch up, "I think I did actually forget…"

"No, no we are leaving now. I don't care what you forgot, it can't be that important. We have all three girls and one mom and one dad. All the important stuff is taken care of." Grabbing Grace's nose as she giggled up at him, he took Marissa's hand and dragged her out of the house amidst her laughs as he hurriedly opened her door and helped her into the car. He rubbed his temple feeling a headache coming on. Opening the door, he immediately heard Ella and Nealy arguing over a tv show and Marissa kept turning around trying to keep the girls apart. "Remind me again why we decided to have kids, especially three," he groaned as Marissa smiled sweetly at him.

However, her words boarder on sarcastic "Well, I think it started when…

_Marissa almost ran into Ryan's office. Walk Marissa, walk, she kept reminding herself. Hurrying into the room, she almost banged into a man passing by with a big stack of papers. "Sorry George," she huffed out and without pausing headed straight toward her husband's office. _

_"Mrs. Atwood, wait! Mr. Atwood is in with a client and…"_

_"I'm sorry Jean, this won't take long. I just need to see him for a minute." Ignoring Jean's protest, Marissa banged the door open and stood trying to catch her breath._

_"Marissa? Is everything okay?" Ryan asked worriedly standing up from his desk and looking closely at his wife. Her hair was all askew and her face flushed a rosy tint. Somewhere in the process she had put on two different shoes and her dress hung at a crooked angle. She looked caught between tears and something else that Ryan couldn't quite identify._

_"Is everything okay? Yes, of course it is Ryan." All said in an unnaturally high voice. Pushing the hair off her face, she started to pace around the small office and rambling, "Everything is fine, just perfect…"_

_Ryan gazed wide eye at his wife and out of the corner of his eye said, "Mike, it might be good idea to take a little break. Give me a minute with Marissa."_

_"Sure no problem. Bye Marissa, it was nice seeing you."_

_Marissa made no comment just waved her hand absent mindedly toward his direction. _

_As the door shut behind Mike, Ryan made his way over and blocked Marissa's path. Grabbing her hands he stared into her eyes trying to figure out what was going on. "Marissa, are you okay?"_

_"Okay? I'm great, no I'm perfect." Looking up into Ryan's eyes, she broke into hysterical tears. _

_"Marissa…" Ryan looked hopelessly at his wife and took her over to a chair and helped her into it. "Marissa baby, you can tell me what is wrong, please…" _

_She looked up at him while wiping her eyes, "I'm being silly, I just…" Not completing her sentence, she stood up again and started pacing. "I have something to tell you Ryan."_

_"Great, I would love to hear it," Ryan said still watching Marissa worriedly. Was she hurt or sick? Maybe she had gotten fired from her job or had gotten into a fight with her mom. "Maybe you should sit down," her pacing was making him dizzy. _

_"No, I think you might want to sit down."_

_Ryan looked at her startled and hesitantly walked over to her grabbing her arm and making her face him. "Tell me what is going on."_

_"I'm…I'm not sick. I don't have the flu like we thought."_

_Confused, Ryan asked, "Well that is a good thing, right?" _

_"Yes, I guess. But they did find something else at." She paused and seemed to be struggling with something and finally blurted out, "Impregnant." Looking at Ryan with wide eyes as he stood stunned, she turned around and raced to the door. "That is all I wanted to say, so I'll see you later for dinner." Not even looking behind her, she reached for the door but a hand clamped down over hers blocking her path. Her shoulders started to heave and Marissa found herself gasping for breath. Ryan walked up close behind and gently removed her hand suddenly pulled her into a loving hug holding her until there was no space between them. Looking down, he tipped her chin up and gazed into her eyes wonderingly, "We are going to have a baby?"_

_Marissa was caught in his stare completely immobilized. All she could do was nod and continue to be hypnotized by him. _

_"A baby," Ryan repeated bewildered and a million thoughts streaked past. We just got marry…we are too young…I hope the baby has Marissa's eyes…how can I be a good Dad…what will it be like when it grows up…is it a boy or girl…Ryan was pulled out of his trance by Marissa tightening her hold on him and looking up at him with eyes full of worry, happiness, bewilderment, and hope. "Oh, baby…" he gave a slight chuckle at the endearment and Marissa returned a watery grin. Gazing into her eyes, he crashed his lips down on hers sealing the promise and he felt her relax and fall into him like two perfect matches. Dragging his lips from Marissa's, he whispered softly, "We are going to have a beautiful baby and be wonderful parents..." He pulled slightly away from her embrace and placed his hands on her flat stomach. He looked up at her wonderingly and was matched with a similar glance. _

_"We are going to have a baby…"_

"Daddy, is it time for ice cream? Please, pretty please…" Ryan was pulled out of his reverie by Ella's demand and at Marissa who looked at him with slight concern.

"Yep, time to go get that ice cream before we stop by Uncle Seth and Aunt Summer's house." He turned to start the car, and was surprised by a gentle hand brushing his cheek. Turning to face her, he smiled at her trying to reassure everything was okay. She looked back at him with similar eyes of yesterday when she found out she was first pregnant. There was fear, hope, and strength.

"You know, I was just remembering when you found out you were pregnant with Nealy."

Marissa gave a laugh and a slightly confused look in his direction, "I remember being so scared to tell you but at the same time desperately wanting to tell you. I think I must have sat in the car for an hour before I went to see you."

Ryan stole a glance over in her direction while keeping his eyes on the road, she had become lost in her own little world of memories and a slight smile spread across her face. He was happy to see her calm. They were going out for ice cream, but then on the way to the hospital to start the next journey of their lives. For the evidence was still present, despite Christmas, laughter, memories, and stories the illness still stole each breath she took.

To be continued!

Thanks for the reviews. I really appreciate them! .


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I don't own the OC!

Chapter Twelve

Tap, tap, tap…click, click, click….pen on paper scratched away unconcerned about the actual words written on the official looking document. The room was small, but decorated in a sense to convey warmth and comfort to the occupants. There was a box of tissues situated strategically between the two plump olive chairs. The walls were coated in a faint lavender color decorated with a vine of ivy winding around the top of the walls. Marissa Atwood sat nervously in a too plump olive chair trying to get comfortable. Moving around slightly, she tried to find a comfortable spot while waiting for Dr. Brown to return. Glancing down at her wrist, she shifted again some more when she realized that Ryan was now almost twenty minutes late for her first radiation appointment. Radiation…such a scary word. Marissa warily looked at the door as it opened, but it was only a nurse. A slight stinging sensation burned at the back of her eyes, but she held her head high up as Dr. Brown took a seat across from like he did only a few weeks ago.

"_Mrs. Atwood, the lab tests have come back. I have been told that Mr. Atwood informed you of your condition?" _

_He looked up and for a moment Marissa was startled to see genuine empathy written across the wrinkles of his face. She couldn't speak, only nodded her head and grasped Ryan's hand tighter. _

_"Good," he stated when she nodded her head. He paused a second looking up at the young woman sitting across from him desperately holding the hand of her husband. They were both so young, too young to have to deal with something like this. "Your type of tumor is not uncommon; however, it is one of the most aggressive. Due to the size of the tumor and the location, it is not operable as of the moment. It will be a tough fight. However, I believe that there is always a chance for survival. Do you have any questions?"_

_Marissa gazed at the doctor with empty eyes, while Ryan looked as if he wanted to hit something. However, after glaring at the doctor for several seconds as the messenger of bad news, he turned to Marissa. She sat silently still eyes focused straight ahead. A lone tear dripped slowly down her face and splattered across her hand. Immediately, Ryan was out of his chair and kneeling in front of her. He grasped her chin gently and forced her to look at him. He didn't say anything, just stared into her eyes trying to find some recognition of the woman he loved. Slowly her eyes focused on Ryan's and filled with silvery liquid that poured down her face. Her breath came in gasps that soon turned to shuddering sobs. Ryan pulled her into his arms and sat on the floor cradling her broken body while whispering reassurances in her ear._

_Dr. Brown watched the couple broken on the floor and felt something in his stomach twist. Sometimes, he wondered about why he continued to practice this job. However, if he could just save one young woman like Marissa the world would be at some peace again. His heart was breaking for the young woman and her husband that looked at him with the empty knowledge that the love of his life might not grow old with him. Dr. Brown never tried to become too attached to his patients, but he had a feeling that Marissa Atwood was going to change everything. It was hauntingly similar to his first case thirty years. He had been not able to save Hazel Jones, but Marissa Atwood was another chance at playing God. He had another chance to right the world, and damn would he fail her. _

_Ryan rubbed Marissa's back trying to convey warmth while closing his eyes at the thought of his wife having cancer. Looking up at the older man behind the desk, Ryan was surprised to see Dr. Brown's head on the desk within his arms. Looking up, Dr. Brown caught his eyes, but didn't say anything. However, his glance conveyed everything Ryan needed to know. This man would fight against the impossible; he would fight for his wife…_

Ryan rushed through the silent corridors of the hospital glancing at his watch for the sixteenth time and cursing silently. The day had been horrible, and now he was late for Marissa's first radiation treatment. He waved to the nurse at the station and returned her gentle smile and followed the direction she pointed. Coming to an erupt stop outside the door, he slowed down and peered into the room. Marissa sat hunched in an olive green chair uncomfortably rubbing her arms as if she was cold. Her gaze was focused on the wall where a clock ticked ominously, and Ryan felt his heart thump at the thought of her sitting there scared and alone. He gently opened the door, and whispered, "Hey," into the silent room.

Marissa's eyes widened rapidly and turned quickly in her chair falling over in the process. Ryan quickly walked over scanning her for injury. She sat stunned on the floor looking up at him with wide blue eyes. Ryan gently reached out and helped her off the ground taking her into his arms as soon as she was on two stable feet.

"I didn't think you were coming." She muffled into his shirt while rubbing her nose across his chest.

"I know, I know. I am so sorry Marissa. The traffic was horrible and…"

"Shuhhh," she placed a finger on his lips cutting off his words, "You're here now."

Ryan stared down at her and softly kissed her fingers. Entwining their hands, he led her back to the upturn chair and sat down pulling her onto his lap. She shifted her legs to a comfortable place and looped her arms around his neck. Leaning into his chest, she looked up at him matching blue for blue. "I'm glad you are here. I'm so…" her words were cut off as Dr. Brown returned.

"Are you ready Marissa?"

Driving up the long drive in the dark to the cottage by the sea, Ryan glanced over at Marissa that slept in the passenger seat. She had fallen asleep soon after leaving the hospital exhausted. Parking the car, Ryan gently eased the door open and walked over to the other side. Unbuckling her seatbelt quietly, Ryan placed his hands under her legs and back scooping her up in the process. She muttered and stirred, but didn't wake. Ryan carried her up the door, but found himself unable to open to door. Leaning an elbow over, he rang the doorbell and waited for somebody to open the door.

Summer looked up startled at the sound, and glanced at the clock surprised at the time. She turned to Seth that sat with her watching television, and he watched her with concerned eyes.

"Where are the girls?" Summer asked while standing up.

"I think Nealy is doing work in her room, while Ella and Grace are playing dress up."

"Go take them into one room and distract them. Cohen, be stealth about it please."

"Always dear Summer, I know how to do stealth." Seth sent a small smile in her direction and placed a quick kiss on her forehead as comfort while taking the stairs two at a time.

Summer took a deep breath and quickly walked over to the door and unlocking the clasp. Pulling open the door, she took a deep breath trying to keep all the emotions at bay. Ryan stood there cradling Marissa in his arms. She slept, but Summer could see the dark eyes and pale skin. Swallowing, she stepped aside as Ryan walked by trying to smile.

"I sent Seth to entertain the girls. I didn't think Marissa wanted them to see her like this."

Ryan sent her a look thanks and looked down startled as Marissa's eyes flew open.

"Oh, my gosh. I think I'm going to be sick," she choked out while Ryan half pulled her half carried her to the bathroom.

Summer ran into the kitchen grabbing a dish towel and soaking it in cool water and pouring a small glass of water. Standing outside the bathroom door, she could hear Ryan whispering reassuringly to Marissa who continued to be sick. After a couple of minutes, Summer peaked in because it had turned silent. Ryan sat on the bathroom floor with Marissa's head in his lap. Her eyes were wide open, and he gently ran his fingers through her hair.

"Hey Coop. I brought you some water and cool wash cloth." Summer smiled brightly at her friend trying not to cry at the state of things.

Marissa smiled wearily and picked her head up from Ryan's lap. For a second, her vision went black but Ryan placed his arm around her stabilizing her dizziness. "Thanks Sum," she managed to croak out from her burning throat.

Summer walked over to the two and sat down cross legged. She handed Marissa the water, and gave the wash cloth to Ryan. Marissa smiled her thanks, while Ryan placed the cool cloth behind her neck.

"So," Summer began unsure where to begin.

"I'm fine Summer, just a little queasy," Marissa whispered while leaning her head back on Ryan's shoulder. "Nothing I have ever felt before, right?"

Summer smiled at her friend's attempt at a joke, and leaned back against the wall of the bathroom. Ryan placed a kiss on her best friend's forehead, and leaned back closing his eyes. Glancing over, Summer felt her heart go out to him. Summer knew that Ryan loved Marissa more than anything in this world. He was devastated and exhausted. Summer didn't know how she would respond if it was Seth sick. It was horrific enough that it was one of the two people she loved the most.

"How about we get you up into bed, Riss?" Ryan asked gently nudging Marissa who had been falling asleep. Nodding her head, she lifted up her head and took his hand. The world went dizzy for a second, but soon the concern faces of Ryan and Summer drifted back into her field of vision.

"I'm okay. Just a little dizzy for a second, but I'm okay now…"

Ryan and Summer exchanged a glance, while Marissa hung on dearly to Ryan's side. "How about I carry you to bed?" Ryan suggested looking down into her eyes.

"I don't need your help to get up the stairs," she snapped trying to stand on her own. Almost falling flat on her face, Marissa looked up at Ryan hopelessly as her legs turned to jelly.

Ryan smile gently at her and scooped her up kissing the side of her head. "It is okay to need help sometimes."

"I know. I just feel…I just feel so weak and helpless." Marissa mumbled into his neck.

"Man, I wish I had a husband who could carry me. But no, I have Cohen who has two scrawny bird arms that can't even swing a hammer," Summer declared while smiling at her best friend. Becoming more serious, she whispered, "Coop, let us help you."

Marissa looked into her best friend's eyes and back to Ryan. She knew they were only trying to help, and obviously she couldn't make it up the stairs. "Okay, I'm sorry. I just…"

"Don't worry about it Coop," Summer interrupted. "Now, let's go get you ready for bed." Summer watched as Ryan carried Marissa out of the bathroom and up the hall. She could just make out their words.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm okay Ryan, really. Just a little weak…You know, this isn't the first time you have made my legs go weak," she teased while Ryan chuckled.

Summer felt a tear drip down her cheek listening to her best friend. Everything was falling apart, and Marissa could still joke. What was the world coming to?

To be continued…

Thanks for the reviews!


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I don't own the OC

sorry if this is hard to read, I couldn't get the scene changes to show up!

Chapter 13

It had been a long and winding day. Full of ups and downs combined with cork screws and sudden twists. Sometimes life was exhausting. Dr. Brown rubbed his hand across his tired face trying to find some life saving answer in the battery of tests that sat innocently on his desk. He had been staring at them for the past hour, but nothing new jumped out at him. They were exactly the same as before. Looking at the clock on the wall, he saw that he needed a break to get some coffee. His patient could wait a minute. Walking down the hall after obtaining a cup of liquid that usually made him gagged; he sipped thankfully at the small break. Looking up, he was caught unprepared at the sight of a lone child curled up in the waiting room. She was thin, but appeared to be tall for her age that might have been about eight. Long dusky blond hair hung down a face that was involved in reading a paperback novel. As if noticing his eyes, she looked up questioningly, and Dr. Brown was caught unprepared at the maturity in her eyes. He was staring into the face of a young Marissa Atwood. Rubbing his eyes again, he looked at the girl but her features had not changed. She kept looking at him curiously. _I didn't know Marissa and Ryan had a daughter…what is she doing here…how horrible this must be for her…how…_

"Is there something you want?"

Dr. Brown was pulled out of his thoughts by the bold words spoken with a slight defiance. He tried to smile, but he thought that even his dead mother could have pulled it off better. "Are you waiting for somebody?"

She looked at him as if that was an obvious answer but shrugged her shoulders and replied, "We were waiting for my Mom, but then Ella insisted that she had to go to the bathroom and…"

Dr. Brown stopped listening after hearing that she had a sister. There were two daughters, two lives that were being destroyed in the face of a horrific disease. Turning back to the girl, he noticed her giving him a strange look and realized that he had been tuning her out. "Well in that case…" he didn't get to finish as she looked past him and yelled.

"Dad, finally!"

Dr. Brown turned around and for the third time was left stunned. Ryan Atwood was walking down the hallway with a little girl skipping at his side pushing a stroller where another daughter sat looking at the world with wide eyes. _Three daughters, a family of five…_

"We were not gone that long Nealy, only for about five minutes." Ryan gave his daughter an exasperated look and leaned over to pick Grace up from the stroller.

"I know but…" Nealy gave a head jerk toward Dr. Brown and inched her way over to her Dad latching on to Ella's hand.

"What? Oh, Dr. Brown I didn't know that was you. Is Marissa ready to go yet?" Ryan looked at the doctor that was standing there with confusion written across his face.

"Is there something wrong Dr. Brown?"

Dr. Brown jerked his head up and looked at Ryan in the eyes. "I wasn't…I wasn't aware that you and Marissa had children and three at that."

Ryan gave a short laugh and pulled Ella's braid. "Trust me, we didn't plan to have three before we were thirty, but Marissa and I got married when we were very young. Nealy was born soon after, and Ella followed two years later. Now Grace here, well Grace was our miracle baby."

_Marissa stumbled through the dark house cringing at the fury of the wind shrieking against the world. She usually loved storms, but today was different. She kept a firm grip on three year old Ella's hand, and started down the stairs. The storm had caused the power of go out and at seven at night the house was ebony in color. Suddenly she lost her footing, and tumbled down the stairs managing to protect Ella from most of the impact. A deep searing pain ripped across her swollen abdomen, and she almost screamed in pain. _

_"Mommy, Ella hurt. Ella hurt." Crying softly, Ella leaned her head into Marissa's shoulder and pointed to her arm that hung at a funny elbow. _

_"Oh, Ella Bella," Marissa leaned over and wiped her daughter's tears and placed a kiss on her nose. "I'm so sorry. It is going to be okay baby, I promise." Ignoring the stabbing pain her in stomach, she tried to pick herself off the floor but found that she was unable. Wincing as the pain became sharper; she brushed her daughter's hair off her tiny face and looked into the cloudy eyes. "Ella, Mommy needs you to be very brave right now, okay I need you to go to Daddy's office and find Mommy's cell phone and…" Marissa gasped as her stomach tightened and then felt as if it was being ripped apart. Trying to keep her eyes opened, she blinked trying to make out her daughter's features but could only make out a shape. However, she could hear Ella crying and something inside her cracked at the thought that her daughter was in pain and she couldn't do anything about it. "Ella…" was all she was able to manage before a swirl of inky darkness descended leading her into oblivation where there was no pain. _

_Ryan stumbled into the dark house frantically trying to see something of resemblance. Tonight he had been with Seth having a guy's night out when the newscaster reported severe storms and power outages where the cottage by the sea stood. After trying to call Marissa several times, he had been unable to get a hold of her. Nealy was at Sandy and Kristen's for the night, so it was just Marissa, Ella, and the unborn baby in a big dark empty house. For some reason, an unexplainable fear lurked in the back of his mind. Racing through the dark rooms, he suddenly heard a soft whimper. "Marissa!" He yelled into the emptiness. There was no reply. Ryan yelled again, "Marissa, Ella!"_

_"Daddy?" Whimpered a tiny voice from somewhere in the back of the house. _

_Hurrying into the kitchen, he felt the breath whoosh out of him at the sight of an unconscious Marissa at the bottom of the stairs and tiny Ella curled in a ball. Marissa's arms and legs hung loosely, and Ella's arm was crooked. There was a pool of blood forming, and Ryan felt his mouth go dry. Rushing to his daughter, he kneeled down beside her a thousand thoughts running through his mind. "Everything is going to be okay baby; everything is going to be okay." Reaching into his coat pocket for his cell phone, he felt a small curl around his arm. "What is it Ella?"_

_"Mommy?" She asked innocently with a tiny quiver in her voice. "Mommy, okay?" _

_"Mommy will be okay Ella…she is just sleeping right now." He worried about lying to his daughter, but at this moment he wasn't sure what to say. He wasn't sure if he was even thinking properly. Another hand pat and he turned to his daughter again while dialing. _

_"Baby, Daddy? Baby okay?" She patted Marissa's slight bump that was visible and looked up at her father trustingly._

_He had told her it was okay and it wasn't. His movements froze as he watched his youngest daughter pat her mother's seven month stomach. It was way too early and there was blood spilling across the floor. He worked his jaw and turned his attention back to the phone and dialed 911. Looking back at Ella waiting patiently for an answer, he realized he didn't know what to say. They needed a miracle right now. _

"Grace was born that stormy night. Two months too early. She was so tiny and unable to breathe on her own." Ryan gently ran a hand through his daughter's fine hair and smiled up at Dr. Brown. "Marissa was in the hospital for over a week, and we didn't know if the baby was going to live. I still remember the day she started breathing on her own. It was a miracle."

Dr. Brown looked at the family minus one important member and felt a sense of comfort dwindled with deep sorrow. He felt a little hand pulling at his coat. Looking down, he found himself staring into five year old Ella's wide eyes. "Yes, sweetie?"

"Dr. Brown. We need a miracle again."

Marissa rolled over for the thousandth time and looked at the clock on the bed table. It glowed 5:43. Slumping back against the pillows, she crossed arms over her chest and stared at the ceiling. Not being able to sleep was awful. She felt exhausted but couldn't sleep. Looking over at Ryan, her gaze softened and she placed a hand against his cheek softly watching him breathe in and out…in and out…in and out. Feeling calm again, she shifted back down into the covers and curled up against Ryan. He automatically shifted in his sleep and pulled her body closer to his. Smiling, she wrapped her arms around torso and willed herself back to sleep unaware that when she had ran her hands through her hair…everything became real.

Summer let herself into the Atwood's cottage by the sea, and surveyed the kitchen with a raised brow.

"Don't say a thing Sum." Marissa warned coming into view with a basket full of laundry. "I know. I know. It is a mess."

"I don't know what you are talking about Coop; it looks the same to me." Throwing a teasing smile in her best friend's direction, she dodged a sock thrown in her direction.

"That was pitiful Coop. You know, we should have maybe played sports in high school?"

Looking at each other, they both said, "Nah," at the same time and broke out in giggles.

After recovering from her laughing attack, Marissa sat next to Summer on the coach. "So what are you doing here today Sum instead of being at work?"

"I thought we could spend the day just the two of us. Now that Nealy and Ella are in school and Grace I know is due at the Cohen's soon, I though we could do lunch."

"Lunch sounds great. Grace should be waking up from her nap soon. I just have to run her over and then…"

"No need Marissa. I'll take baby Atwood and deliver her to her doting grandparents. You just relax."

"Okay, thanks Sum. That sounds great actually. Let me go get her."

Marissa glanced at her watch and rushed into the bathroom trying to get finished before Summer showed up again. Grabbing a brush, she ran it through her tangle of messy hair while reaching for her toothbrush. Glancing back at the mirror, her movements became deathly still. Feeling goosebumps raise up over her arms, she ran shaky fingers through her hair and looked down at the evidence gripped in her fist. Slowly she closed her eyes, _do not cry…do not lose it…you knew it was going to happen eventually…you knew…._Looking back down at her hand, she carefully place the knot of hair on the sink. Automatically bringing her brush back up to her head, she brushed another long movement and watched as more hair spiraled down settling softly on the floor. With each brush, more hair tumbled off. Some in single winding strands, others in braids. With each brush, Marissa felt her control slipping. Her breath started to hitch, and tears started streaming down her face in silent waves. A small sob escaped and soon turned into full out hysterics. _I'm too young…I loved my hair…I'll look funny…What will Ryan think…I'm scared…I don't want to die… _She yanked the bottom cabinet open and searched ruthlessly for a shiny object. Gripping the long silver fingers in her hand, she stared into the mirror not recognizing the person standing in front of it. Tears were coursing down her cheeks while dark circles surrounded her watery eyes that were looking almost manic. Grasping a thick hand of hair, she closed her eyes tightly and snip…snip…snip

Summer walked up the stairs quietly thinking Marissa had maybe fallen asleep. She stopped and picked up a teddy bear in the hallway and was about to put it in Grace's room when she heard sobs coming from the end of the dark hall. Rushing into the bedroom that Ryan and Marissa shared, she pounded on the close door.

"Let me in Marissa. It is going to be okay. You just need to let me in sweetie. Please…" she begged as the gut renting sobs echoed throughout the silent house. Turning the knob, she was surprised that it twisted and slammed the door open. There stood Marissa hunched over the bathroom sink covered in wisps of hair ruthlessly cutting long blond locks with her eyes closed tightly. "Oh, honey," Summer whispered softly as Marissa turned surprised at seeing her. "Oh, Coop…here let me take those." She walked calmly over to Marissa and took the scissors without a fight. Marissa stood there staring at Summer with empty eyes.

"My hair…it was falling," she stopped unable to go on.

"It is okay sweetie, everything will be okay." Summer threw her arms around her closest friend and was relieved when she felt her arms hug back. Tears prickled and slightly fell down her face. Tightening her grip, Marissa started to sob and Summer felt her own tears mingle with those of her best friend. Together, they grieved for used to be and what was to come.

The clock ticked rhythmically throughout the cottage by the sea as the faint sound of waves was heard from the inky night. A fire roared warmly casting a shadow light on the truth. Marissa sat curled up in front of the fire staring into the flickering lights lost in memories. Taking a sip of hot chocolate, she looked up at the clock wondering where Ryan and the girls were. He was picking them up from after school play dates and the Cohen's. Summer had left just few minuets ago after spending the entire day watching her friend worriedly. Marissa had scared herself. Reaching up, she brushed her hand against the smooth skin that was covered by a dainty scarf expertly wrapped around her now light head. The destruction Marissa had raged on her tired hair was unfixable and everybody had done their best to try. Marissa had decided just to take it all off. It was going to happen eventually. She felt like she had lost something today. It was not just hair; it all seemed so real now. Sure she had been to the doctors and going to radiation, but the effects were not all the visible. Hair lost was a sudden lack of familiarity and comfort. It was not about being vain; it was about being a person. She was pulled out of her thoughts as a key turned in the lock and her precious family spilled into the house. Their voices mingled into a beautiful harmony despite the arguments, digs, laughs, and screams. Ella entered first and ran to her Mommy excited to tell her about the day. She was almost there when she stopped almost falling over her feet.

"Mommy, where did your hair go?" She looked at Marissa confused and surprised that her mother no longer had her long blond locks that she liked to play with.

Nealy entered next carrying Grace and stopped at Ella's words. She stared at her mother with worried eyes that quickly filled up with tears. Without realizing it, she reached up and brushed her own hair back from her face that everybody said was just like her Mom's. Nealy bit her lip trying not to cry as she saw her Mom slightly grimaced at the action and seemed to shrink slightly on the coach.

Ryan had stopped to pick up the girls' things knowing Marissa would get upset later and had not witnessed the scene in the living room. Walking into the room, he called, "Hello, beautiful. How was your day?" Coming into full view of the room, he stopped at the scene and stared at his young wife's eyes that looked huge in her thin face and stood out more because of the lost of hair. He felt something throughout his whole body turn cold and gave a painful jerk. Realizing that Marissa's eyes had starting to fill up with liquid, he said softly to the girls without looking at them, "Nealy, take Ella and Grace upstairs and turn on a movie."

The girls silently complied with Ella desperately grasping Nealy's hand as they walked up the stairs.

Ryan waited until they had left before walking over to Marissa and sitting next to her on the coach.

Marissa closed her eyes at the silence and felt her old fears returning. _I look awful without hair…Ryan thinks…_she never got to finish her thought as Ryan's body crashed into hers. His arms enclosed her completely and pulled her onto his lap where he gripped her as tightly as he could. Marissa felt her breath whoosh out and a pressure released in her chest. Catching Ryan's glance, she felt for the first time that day something warm trickle through her blood.

He gently reached out and pulled the pretty scarf off her head without a word. Looking down at her face, he softly placed a kiss on her shiny head and moved down placing another on her forehead, eyes, nose, and finally her lips. The kiss was everything sweet, caring, innocent…and full of forever love. Softly, he whispered into her ear, "You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen."

Nealy stole out of her bedroom with a glance at her two younger sisters that sat engrossed in the movie. Tiptoeing down the stairs half way, she peered over the railing and saw her parents locked in a desperate hug not speaking. Swallowing a lump, she ran back to the bathroom and pulled the stool over to the sink. Standing up, she looked in the mirror and hated what she saw. She saw a girl with bright blue eyes and long dusty blond hair that hung down her back. Everybody always said that she looked just like Marissa, and Nealy always loved the thought that she looked like her beautiful mother. However, today she hated it. She hated that she had hair and her mother didn't. Gripping the scissors, she stared long and hard at her reflection before closing her eyes and snip…snip…snip…

To Be continued….


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I don't own the OC!

A/N: Sorry that it has taken so long to update! Things have been so crazy! Hope you enjoy

The New Year roared into the world with bangs, lights, sparkles…hope, dreams, faith…the New Year was a time of change. For a brief moment, the world was poised on the brink of some example of peace. Humanity had turned the world up side down for once striving toward that peace. Ryan Atwood was feeling anything but peace a week later. The week had been terrible. Marissa had screamed when she found her daughter in the bathroom covered in silky strands of blond hair. Ryan remembered running up the stairs as fast as he could and stumbling into the bathroom with a million thoughts in his head. The scene was nothing he was prepared for.

_"I'm so sorry Mommy, so sorry," Nealy sobbed on Marissa's shoulder while gripping her short hair. _

_"Oh, Nelly Belly…oh baby…why…," Marissa gently stroked her daughter's hair while looking into her eyes. A single tear trickled down her pale face. _

_"I'm sorry Mommy. I'm sorry that I look like you. I'm sorry that my hair reminded you of yours. I'm so sorry Mommy that I have hair and you don't." Nealy burst into another fit of tears while staring into her mother's eyes trying to make her understand. There was fear and sadness mixed in the milky depths. Nealy took a deep breath and steeled herself for the question she was about to ask. "Mommy…Mommy are you going to die?" _

Ryan would never forget the crumbled look upon his wife's face or the trembling look on his daughter's. The world was falling from grace. Ella had burst into tears and was inconsolable for the entire night. Of course, Grace had followed only knowing that her two sisters were sobbing and her dearest mommy was sad about something. When Ryan had returned after making sure the entire house was locked up for the night, he had found the four piled on his and Marissa's bed tangled in a tight pretzel. All three girls had refused to leave their mommy. Following the incident, it had been hard for Ryan to get Ella and Nealy to school. The two refused to leave their mother's side. He could understand. He didn't want to leave Marissa's side either. Every day she got a little paler and a little sicker. Ryan was about the break. He needed help.

"Hi, Kristen? This is Ryan. Yeah…yeah everything is okay…" his voice broke a second. "Actually, nothing is okay Kristen. I need…I need you. I need help." He whispered softly on the phone. He needed his support system…he needed his mother just like his three little girl needed Marissa.

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"Grandma, where is Daddy?" Ella asked while spilling flour all over the floor. "Oops," she looked up at Kristen with big innocent brown eyes.

"That's alright Ella. Daddy had to go on an errand. Mommy is sleeping right now so we have to be quiet, okay?"

"Mommy is always sleeping now Grandma…" Nealy's voice trailed off uncertainly and looked up at Kristen as if she had all the answers.

She wished that she could give this hurt a kiss and that it would be all better. "By sleeping it allows her body to rest and fight. It is a good thing that she is sleeping. How about you pour the chocolate chips into the batter?" Kristen smiled brightly and gently pushed Nealy toward the counter. Nealy had been standing at the bottom of the steps all evening hovering listening for her mother. Kristen was determined to see all three little girls smile at least once tonight.

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Ryan stormed through the hospital's hallways stopping at a door and banging loudly. "Dr. Brown, I know you are in there. Dr. Brown, I don't have an appointment but I need to talk to you…" Ryan felt his emotions swirl up to his head and everything came out in a violent red. "Dr. Brown…dammit! My wife is dying every minute and my little girls are being destroyed. And what am I supposed to do? What am I supposed to do with out the love of my life? We were supposed to see Nealy graduate and Ella married. Oh gosh, see Grace, our little miracle, become something magnificent. We were supposed to live forever together. It is too early for death till us part!" Ryan broke down in sobs and leaned his head against the door. Finding that banging made the hurt in his heart feel less he continued bang…bang…bang…

"Mr. Atwood, that is really not necessary."

Ryan jerked his head up and stared angrily into Dr. Brown's eyes. "Why isn't anything working against the tumor? I thought the procedure we decided on was the most advance and proactive. You were supposed to save my wife!"

Dr. Brown stared down at the angry young man, the hopeless father, and the desperate husband. Ryan was a little bit of everything and a little bit of nothing. "Mr. Atwood, the treatment we agreed on was the most aggressive possible. However, it doesn't mean it always works. I'm sorry. We are doing everything we can at this moment. Maybe things like this are in the hands of some divine being…"

"Sorry seems so empty. Did you know when we got engaged everybody said we were way too young. Despite everything we had been through together, we still were taking a huge chance at that time. Do you want to know how I proposed?"

Dr. Brown looked down at the man sitting dejected on the floor hunched over as if it would protect him from the harsh truth. Gently, he asked, "How did you propose?"

_"Ryan, Ryan! Where are we going?" Marissa sang happily at Ryan as he drove through unknown streets. "Can't you tell me, please? I've been very good lately!" She threw him a mischievous look. _

_"Don't I know it," Ryan smirked back and reached over grabbing her hand. "And no, you can't know were we are going."_

_"Fine," Marissa pouted but sat up as they past a sign stating that they had just arrived in Chino. "What are we doing in Chino?"_

_"You'll see." Ryan drove the car down the dark streets pulling in at the local hospital. _

_"Is somebody you know sick?"_

_"No, we are going to go on a journey. This is where I was born. I came two weeks late and I was told my Mom was going crazy. My Dad was actually there for once and Trey…"_

_Marissa sat quietly knowing that Ryan didn't often open up about his past. The car started again, and shortly pulled in front of a small rundown house. _

_"This is where I lived for ten years before we moved into my Mom's boyfriend's house. I used to ride bikes with the kids on the streets and play outside all day. My room was tiny, but I had stuck glowing stars up on the ceiling that I had gotten in school. One time, Trey was caught punching me and my Mom took me out for ice cream down the street. There were a lot of good times, but a lot of bad ones too. My Dad left and my Mom turned to alcohol. Trey got into the wrong crowd, and I was starting to follow." Ryan started the car and continued the journey to another house, followed by the spot of stealing the car with Trey, juvie, and finally the pay phone where he had called Sandy Cohen for a chance. Each section was accompanied by a little piece of story or detail._

_Marissa sat in awe taking everything in. She understood that Ryan was giving her a great gift. He was finally allowing her to see everything including the little part of his heart that was kept under lock and key. They started heading back to Newport, and she felt that she should say something. Ryan drove silently lost in memories. Simply, she whispered, "Thank you," while rubbing her fingers along Ryan's hand. It was enough. He turned and smiled at her. _

_"We are not done yet. You'll see." He smiled that mysterious smile that made Marissa's heart do flip flops and arms become covered in goosebumps._

_Lost in thought, Marissa was startled to see the car at the bottom of the Cohen's driveway. She raised an eyebrow at him but said nothing. _

_"This is where I sat waiting to see if Kristen would let me in to the house. I walked to the end of the driveway and saw the most beautiful girl standing at the bottom. I knew from the beginning that underneath all the beauty was a girl whose life was as messed up as mine. But that was okay; because it turned out that we were cut from the same material. Identical souls…"_

_Marissa raised a hand to her mouth in shock and stared at Ryan with large swimming blue eyes. Ryan rarely let his emotions run this rampant. _

_"Even today, she is the loveliest thing I have ever seen. Not just because of her beauty, but because of the person underneath everything. Meeting her has changed my life for the better. I can't imagine what it was like before, and I can't imagine my future without her." Ryan leaned over and wiped a tear from Marissa's face and gently brushed a feather light kiss on the spot he had just wiped. _

_Marissa was stunned. She had the feeling that something big was in the works, but her emotions were thundering in her heart and head until nothing made sense but she was Marissa and she loved Ryan. She opened her mouth to try to speak, but could only manage a squeak. Trying again, she could only say, "Well he had me with who ever you want me to be…" She smiled into Ryan's lovely face and was rewarded with a grin back. _

_Ryan started the car and slowly drove to the next destination. _

_"Are we not going in?" Marissa looked puzzled and slightly out of her head. She had a heavy perfume feel like floating on the clouds. _

_"Not quite yet." Ryan drove to the final destination, and helped Marissa out of the car. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he led her to the one place where she had always felt safe. _

_Marissa signed contently seeing the lifeguard stand in the distance. Hugging Ryan more tightly, she untangled herself starting up the steps. However, she stopped after the first step. The floor was covered in rose petals swirling in love, happiness, and hope.. Glancing at Ryan, she noticed that he looked very nervous. "Ryan, what is going on? Did you do this?" Ryan just stared at her with a look that she couldn't quite identify. Continuing up the steps, she walked over to the rails and sat down. Looking at Ryan that stood immobile on the sand, she called out teasingly, "Are you coming up dear?"_

_Ryan looked up at Marissa sitting among the rose petals hair blowing and cheeks rosy red. She was beautiful and she was his. Walking over, he sat down next to her shoulder to shoulder looking over the dark sea. _

_"I love this place, you know? It was the one place where I felt like I could always come and just be me. I don't think I have ever felt that way until I met you." Marissa turned and gazed at Ryan who stared back unblinking. _

_Suddenly, he whipped out a box from his pocket and started muttering much like Seth Marissa would remember later. "I never felt like I truly belonged anywhere. Home was hard when I was growing up. That is why I took you to all those places. Since meeting you my life as become so much better. I mean of course we had some rough patches, but we are different and stronger people because of the hardships. I feel safe with you. You feel like home to me," Ryan let out his breath he had been holding and slowly opened the box and looked at Marissa. She sat with wonder filled eyes and an emotion that Ryan knew was reflecting in his own eyes. "I want home with you Marissa Cooper for always and forever. I love you more than I could possibly understand and don't want to imagine my life without you. Will you marry me, please…?" _

Dr. Brown looked at Ryan Atwood that sat there with hope radiating out of his eyes.

"You see Dr. Brown, she gave me a gift. She chose me and still to this day I can't believe it. I need to give her back that gift."

"Mr. Atwood, I think you already have. She knows how much you love her. And you have three beautiful little girls. You already have."

Ryan looked up at Dr. Brown with a sad smile. "Sometimes, I wish there was more that I could do. I would take the cancer instead of her. I would…" He was interrupted by Dr. Brown's beeper going off.

"I'm sorry Ryan, but I need to go. Thank you for sharing your precious memory. I wish I could share that type of connection with somebody in my life, but I have never been that lucky." Patting Ryan on the shoulder, he hurried down the hall.

Ryan stood up and slowly walked toward the entrance. If asked later if he knew, all he could remember was this feeling of dread. Something was happening…something terribly wrong. Reaching for his cell phone, he realized that he had left it in the car. Starting to run toward the car the swirl of blue and red crossed against his vision. A wail pierced the silent night, and Ryan stopped immobile as the ambulance sped toward the ER. He was pulled to the scene all other worry gone. He watched as the two attendants ran to the back and started unloading a stretched. A familiar shock of blond hair blew in the window, and Ryan hadn't even realized that he was running until he grabbed Kristen's small shoulders.

"Oh Ryan, thank goodness!" She cried while yanking on his arms. "You were not answering your cell phone and…"

"Kristen, just tell me what is wrong. Is it the girls, Sandy, Seth, Summer?" Ryan listed each person in his family trying to desperately to block the one name from his lips. His hands were trembling, and heart thudding loudly in his ears. His voice dropped watching as the stretcher was unloaded. He felt his blood ran cold. He was paralyzed unable to move toward the person on the stretcher.

"She woke up and came downstairs to help the girls. All of a sudden, she was on the floor and not breathing. Sandy is with the girls and I couldn't reach you…I…" Kristen broke down in sobs as Ryan watched as the love of his life was wheeled into the ER. The love that had chosen him despite everything and nothing.

To be continued!


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I don't own the OC

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. I enjoyed reading them!

A dim light illuminated the tiny room. It cast an almost shadowed heaven glow. A little window peered out into the dark silent night. There was silence everywhere. From the movement of a hand clinging to limp fingers combined with the faint brush of hair against a cheek. The tears that slipped down the face suspended for that one moment falling soundlessly to the floor. A hand on a shoulder squeezing for comfort, but really just added more pain to the already mayhem of emotions spilling around the occupants. Everything was not alright, no matter how many times people said it would be.

For a moment, Summer Cohen wanted to be a little girl again. One that could climb into bed with her Daddy and know that his hug would protect her from everything. She wanted so badly to believe in fairy tales and twinkle dust. Instead, she sat in the plain and sterile hospital room watching a person she had always loved struggle with each breath she took. Seth squeezed her shoulder again trying to reassure her, but it only hurt more. But he was trying in the only way he knew, so she let him squeeze her shoulder every couple of minutes. Wasn't that what love was all about? She slid her hand among Marissa's fingers and rested on her wedding ring. So much promise…so much hope…

_"So, are you ready to do this? Because you know this is forever and you will always have to live with him. Deal with his dirty white beaters, I mean EW and deal that he always will be from Chino? What about when he gets in his moody moods and brood? Summer continued rambling on not noticing Marissa's stricken face. "I mean how you can…wait Coop. Are you okay? You are looking a little green in the face and Ew, are you going to be sick?" _

_Marissa sat numb in the chair facing the vanity as Summer's words rang around her head. Her stomach was rolling. The already quickly hatching butterflies swarmed up wanting release. "Summer, I think I'm going to be sick." She quickly ran to the bathroom and threw herself at the toilet. Summer appeared behind her holding a wet facecloth. _

_"Ah, Coop honey. I'm sorry. You know Ryan loves you more than anything, and I have never seen you so happy with your life. I didn't mean to rant. I guess…I guess I'm a little jealous because Seth hasn't worked up the courage to propose. The little rat boy…" She glared angrily as Marissa gave a choking laugh through the tears. "I'm so happy for you sweetie, just think in two hours you are going to be married to the love of your life. She smiled watching her friend's face light up with promise and hope. It was going to be a beautiful day._

"Do you remember that day Coop?" Summer whispered softly into her ear while smoothing her hair from her face. "I think it was one of my favorite moments…" She stared down into her friend's expressionless face searching for some sign of acknowledgement. A lone tear dripped down her cheek. Marissa had not moved. She had not moved for two days.

"Summer…I…" Seth didn't know what to say.

"I know honey, I know."

Seth just held his wife tighter as she leaned back into his embrace. He had been amazed at how in control Summer was being. He didn't let her know that he heard her last night at home in the bathroom sobbing at two in the morning. His Mom and Dad were keeping the girls that were as silent as he had ever heard them before. Ryan had disappeared in the last hour. Seth knew he was rambling around the hospital wings trying to find some answers in the lines of peoples' faces and grief filled eyes.

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"Grandma?"

"Um, honey?" Kristen bent down and smoothed her granddaughter's tangle of blond hair. It was the first thing she had said since last night.

"Do you believe in heaven?" Nealy continued looking out into the distance eyes empty with thoughts.

Kristen signed and felt darkness settle between her bones. When you love a person, you do almost anything to save her from the pain. She would give anything not to answer this question. She would give everything to have the three little girls smiling and laughing with no cares. She would give anything to go back. "Yes, sweetie. I do believe there is a heaven." She bent down and kissed Nealy's furrowed brow. Tears were threatening to fall, but just shimmered in her granddaughter's eyes.

"Grandma? I don't think I like cookies anymore…"

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"I don't want to watch that Grandpa!" Ella turned her nose up in disgust and glared at her grandfather. "That movie is for babies, and I am not a baby anymore. Babies can't do anything. They can not run. They can not write their names. They can not cut using scissors. They can not understand what hurts, but I do Grandpa." She continued glaring at him angrily as if everything was his fault.

Sandy signed and rubbed his face. Nealy had become a stone statue silent and parallelized while Ella had lashed out at everything and everybody. "Ella Bella, honey we don't have anything else."

"Don't call me Ella Bella! Don't call me that ever again!" She shrieked amidst sobs that were coming fast.

"Oh, honey." Sandy gathered the little girl up and hugged her as tightly as he could.

"It hurts Grandpa, it hurts so much! I want to be a baby again…"

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The room felt smaller and smaller. The walls were tightening as his heart constricted. Closing his eyes, Ryan felt defeated. He had never felt like this ever. Not when they found out, not when it got worse. They had always held on to hope. How did hope get blown out the door? How did hope just disappear leaving black and ugly despair?

"_Ryan, do you know where Nealy is? I can't find her!"_

_"I'm so sorry baby…so sorry. Let me make it up to you."_

_"Don't ever give up Marissa, don't ever give in. I don't think I will survive." _

_"I would never leave you Ryan willingly…"_

"Mr. Atwood…Ryan?"

Ryan snapped his eyes open and looked across the table at the doctor. The good doctor…the one that was supposed to make everything right again.

"Sorry, what?"

"Her tests are back." His face showed nothing…no emotion was written across the weathered wrinkles and the crow lines surrounding the eyes.

Ryan didn't know if he wanted to know. He didn't want to know anything anymore actually. He wanted to find a giant field covered in snow falling and lay on the freezing ground as coldness filled his blood and wetness coated his eyes. He didn't want to feel the pain that was threatening to pull apart his body seam by seam, vessel by vessel. "Doctor, do you believe a heart can break? Actually break?"

Startled by the change in direction of conversation, Doctor Brown leaned back in his chair pondering the question. A heart could break when a vessel ruptured or during a heart attack theoretically. Looking up at the young man sitting in front of him, Dr. Brown finally understood that everything was not about science and facts. "Yes, I believe a heart can break…the human heart can break…"

That was all Ryan needed to hear. "My heart is shattering Dr. Brown…"

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Summer glanced over at Ryan that sat next to Marissa holding her hand and staring at her face intently. He had not moved for the past four hours. Summer knew. She too sat there waiting for a change, waiting for something. She started to speak but was startled as two nurses swept into the room rapidly and started rearranging things. "Excuse me, but what is going on?" Summer stared bewilderedly as the two nurses started to move things around as if Marissa was going to move.

Ryan stood silently watching the scene.

"Dr. Brown ordered to prep Marissa Atwood for surgery asap. Her tests showed that the tumor had shrunk in size that might have a chance to be operable. We have to move fast." She continued her brisk movements of hooking up the oxygen and moving the sheets around.

"Wait! What do you mean a chance to be operable? What if it isn't? What if it doesn't work. What if she never wakes up? What if we don't get to say goodbye?" Summer whispered the last sentence into a suddenly silently room. How do you say good-bye to the one person that was your other half? How do you say good-bye to a person that was more than a sister? She didn't know how to.

"Say it now." The nurse started to move the bed. "We don't have time, I'm sorry." And she did look sorry, but she had her orders.

Shocked and stunned, Summer bent down and kissed Marissa's forehead as she was wheeled beside her. She felt herself start to tremble. Her hands shook as she reached out and smoothed Marissa's hair like a mother. Thoughts were blasting into her head. Each memory a gift and a curse. "Ryan?" Summer turned to him and was surprised at how empty his face looked. "Ryan, aren't you going to say something?" She looked at him in bewilderment as he continued to stand there as tears started hanging on to her lashes. "Did you know that Dr. Brown ordered this?"

Ryan finally turned his head to look at her. He spoke carefully and quietly. "Maybe we should just stop."

"Stop what?" Summer's eyes widen in fear at the words.

"Stop fighting, stop hoping, stop waiting…stop living." Ryan continued to look after the bed being wheeled down the hall.

Summer stuffed her fist into her mouth trying to block the sobs that were straining to come pouring out.

"She's tired Summer. She is tired and weak. She is in pain…I don't know what to do. If she was awake, would she ask me to make it go away?"

Summer opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She tried again, and winced at how harsh her voice sounded. "I can't believe you just said that. I don't want to ever hear that again. Ever, understand? She has strength left, I know she does. How could you even think that?" Summer finally let the sobs break forth and slid down the wall that was her support. She gripped her knees and started to rock. She couldn't think straight; she couldn't think of anything but that Marissa could die…she could be gone in the next hour, the next minute, the next second.

Ryan's eyes suddenly held a spark that had been missing since the cookie incident. He felt his numbness being washed away by the biting pain, but he welcomed it finally feeling something. His heart started to beat rapidly as he wondered where did those words come from? He was terrified suddenly. Terrified of the known and unknown. Looking down at Summer, he was struck by how horrible he sounded. He didn't get to say good-bye. He didn't get to say good-bye. "I didn't get to say that I loved her…" he whispered into the deserted hallway besides Summer rocking on the floor. "I didn't…Marissa I'm sorry. I didn't mean it baby, I didn't mean any of it!" He yelled forcefully sprinting down the hallway as tears blurred his vision. What if he was too late? What if everything was too late?

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Waiting is such an interesting word. There is the excited happy waiting as a person waits for her birthday or his first date with the girl of his dreams. There is the dreadful feeling waiting for the principle to speak to you wondering why on earth you were pulled into the office. There is the hopeful waiting for a newborn's cries to shatter a parent's heart and the next moment make it beat even faster. There is the desperate waiting of people that know a loved one could leave any second. Would you even feel her soul leave or fly around trying to say good-bye?

Seth moved his head slightly leaning against Summer as she snuggled deeper into his shoulder. Her eyes were wide open…never blinking staring at the clock on the wall. Ryan sat next to Kristen in the corner of the room. She was squeezing his hand every few minutes as if to remind him they were all there for him, but Seth didn't think he felt anything. They had been sitting in the exact same positions for the last five hours. The last five hours of everything that had been familiar. When that doctor walks out of the room and pulls off his gloves and opens his mouth, everything will change. The momentum will be thrown in either one direction or another. Seth leaned forward and tapped Ryan on the knee. His brother looked up wearily and tried to smile. It was more of a grimace.

"Yeah?"

"I was just remembering when you called telling me that you and Marissa were having Ella. Do you remember that?"

Ryan felt a grin threaten his stolid facial features.

_"Dude, Ryan. Another child…are Marissa and you sure that is a good idea. Didn't last week you guys lose Nealy at the pier? Oh, and before that didn't you let her eat all the ice cream she wanted which she promptly threw up all over Marissa when she came home? And didn't you and Marissa have a fight over who was going to change Nealy's diaper that first time? Another child, man?"_

_"Seth, shut up." Ryan couldn't help but smiling. "It will not be that bad."_

_"I don't know man. Think about it. Twice as many dirty diapers, but bottles everywhere. What about waking up at 2 am? I don't wish to be you."_

_"Well, I know exactly who to call when I'm sitting up at 2 am feeding the baby, don't I?"_

Ryan felt himself laugh slightly and was startled by the feeling. He was about to say something in reply, but the doors swung open. Suddenly, his throat was dry and scratchy. His heart thumped loudly and the blood rushed to ears. Two nurses exited looking swiftly at the family, but then hurrying in the opposite direction.

Dr. Brown walked out next looking exhausted. He glanced quickly at the clock as if defining something and then turned to the four people gathered in the tiny room of waiting. He cleared his throat, and started to speak…

To be continued! thanks for reading!


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I don't own the OC

Mayhem…'mA-"hem… "Willful and permanent deprivation of a bodily member resulting in the impairment of a person's fighting ability." Sometimes, the person struggling to fight must rest for awhile. Sometimes, the people trying to fight for others must let the individuals fight their own battles. Sometimes a person needs to know when to say good-bye…I love you…I'll see you again someday. However, sometimes not everything is as it seems. The little girl with tiny fists rubbed her eyes exhausted, but refused to fall asleep. She sat curled up in a little chair beside a slumbering woman that refused to wake up. The little girl counted her Mommy's two eyes, one nose, and one mouth…her hair was gone…there were funny pencil lines across her forehead. Sometimes the little girl couldn't see her Mommy anymore, but then she would just place her hand over her heart and listen to the familiar beating finding the similar beating in her heart.

Ella thought her Mommy looked like a princess in a fairy tale waiting for her prince to come wake her. She had tried to tell Daddy that, but he had just stared at her until Aunt Summer gently took her hand and led her away. She wished her Mommy would wake up. Leaning over her mother to reach her ear, she whispered loudly, "I promise to never fight with Nealy and be nice to Grace. I will be a good girl Mommy, I promise you. I'll even give up chocolate chip cupcakes if you wake up." Ella held her breath and peered into her Mommy's unresponsive face. That was the best promise she had come up with since the last one…twenty minutes ago. Ella leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes trying to think of something else she could promise to get her Mommy to want to come back to her.

Sitting hunched in the dim hallway, Nealy leaned against the hard cement wall for support. Hearing a noise, she snapped her head back banging it hard on the cement wall. Ella was promising things again. Tears threatened to fall, but Nealy refused to cry. Deciding this physical pain of banging her head was better than the other kind; she banged her head again and again and again.

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The clock ticked in an animosity pattern in the back corner tick…tock…tick…tock…tick…Seth had to shake his head to get rid of the vibrating sounds. He had to focus now…He had to be strong. He sat between two people that were already falling apart with their eyes open in paralyzing pain. Their pains radiated into his gut making him feel ill. He already felt ill; she was one of his best friends…almost a sister. One hand gripped a slender smooth hand while the other leaned almost casually on a shoulder trying to convey everything in its presence.

"I'm not sure if I am following you, Dr. Brown." Sandy leaned forward in his chair and faced the doctor earnestly. "You said the operation seemed to be successful."

"That is correct; it appears that the mass was completely removed."

"Then why isn't she waking up? Why isn't she undergoing chemotherapy to ensure it never comes back?"

"I know this is hard to understand. During the surgery, there were complications." Dr. Brown hesitated when Ryan Atwood looked up into his eyes for the first time in days. "Her heart stopped beating and consequently her brain was deprived of oxygen for several minutes before we were able to get the heart to start pumping again. We don't know if all the cancer is gone, but the tumor is removed. As for not waking up, that seems to be a product of the oxygen lost. Marissa slipped into a coma…it might be her body's way of fighting or it might be shutting down in days, hours…we really don't know."

"So is she going to ever wake up?" Whispered Summer as she stared at the doctor with puffy red eyes. "Is she ever going to see her daughters and husband? Is she going to grow old?" Summer's voice cracked on the last sentence and waved away Seth's hand that was trying to get her to calm down.

Ryan closed his eyes as a fresh waterfall of pain descended his body. He didn't know it was possible to feel this most pain. Summer's words were becoming the boundaries of despair and forgotten hope. Her words rang throughout his head making his heart feel like it had stopped beating too. The memory refused to stop playing in his aching head.

_Trying to find warmth and comfort, Ryan pulled her even closer until not even a breath separated them. He could smell her strawberry shampoo and slightly baby powered smell from Grace. Tracing her features as if he was trying to memorize her face, he saw her slowly close her eyes. Thinking she had fallen asleep, he was startled when she opened her eyes and started speaking._

_"I'm not going to leave you or the girls, Ryan." She gazed into his eyes and spoke each word carefully. "I'm going to beat this, we all are." Smiling gently in the silver moonlight she continued, "I want to see Grace start kindergarten, get into fights with Nealy because you know that is going to happen (Ryan chuckled slightly at that wondering how she could still make him laugh), watch Ella go on to college, and grow old with you rocking on the front porch…" _

He wondered why he didn't feel it when her heart stopped. Weren't they connected as one? Shouldn't his heart have stopped too? But by fault, this theory meant that he should have cancer too, and he was still sitting here with his heart beating but breaking.

"I'm sorry to day, we can monitor her progress and start a round of chemo…but we can't make her suddenly wake up from the comma. I'm so sorry. I'll let you have a minute to decide exactly what you want to do."

How could the news of cancer being destroyed be overshadowed by another but similar destructive blow? How long could a person hope and hold on to a form of faith. When does a person decide it is time to give up and leave the world for heavenly bonds?

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Everybody visited…everybody hoped…everybody couldn't bear to say good-bye.

Each time a person would visit, he or she would mark a day as it went by. The calendar hung on the wall right next to the pretty flowers. Sometimes the flowers were roses or daisies or sunflowers…nevertheless, they were always bright and cheery. Some people would pull a chair up and grasp her hand chattering away about the weather, the girls, the new dog Sandy decided to bring home much to Kristen's dismay, the movie just shown in the theatre. The little girls were growing up as the seasons changed and days moved around the sun. They would climb into bed with their Mommy and read her stories, braid the hair that was growing in, and whisper secrets that nobody else could hear into her ear. Her best friend always brought a different color nail polish each week. Sometimes it was fiery red or moody blue. It was never the same color. She would sit there painting her friend's nails and discussing possible baby names for her expanding stomach. The love of her life would visit everyday and sometimes more then once. He would bring with him comfort and love. Telling her stories about their daughters and best friends, he tried to trigger some response from his wife. Everyday, he felt like a part of his heart had been carved out and left empty. Seth brought music and blared it and laughing at the thought of him and Marissa Cooper having something in common after all. Kristen would sit quietly sometimes talking and other times just sitting there as comfort…a friendly and loving warmth. All the lives continued to move along the timeline called life despite the fact that a pertinent part of their family was laying in the hospital. Months turned into seasons, seasons into years, and one year became two, then three. It wasn't that any of them had given up hope; instead they refused to believe that the impossible might happen. The cancer appeared to be gone, but her life still hung in limbo. So it startled Summer one day when she was chatting about shopping for a baby crib, and her friend's eyes snapped open and stared right back at her.

Thanks for reading!


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: I don't own the OC

The most extraordinary thing about life is the full circles it makes. Babies are born with twinkling innocence; a reminder that there is still good in this world and it is meant to go on. Grandmothers and grandfathers grow old together and slowly close their eyes as waves of peace wash over them. As each breath diminishes, a little angel is given the chance to live. Boys and girls fall in love and start families with only the promise of love. Some people die way too early…an event that leaves their families and friends question the very meaning of existence and purpose. Within their tiny little worlds, the rhythm of the heart aches with unimaginable pain. However, we have to say good-bye…we love you…I'm sorry…and just hope that someday we will see each other again. Then there are the people that surprise us. There is the smile of a stranger…the delight of a child flying a kite. The elderly man down at the corner shop that weaves stories of history long past making connections that are decades old. Least not forget, the thoughtful gesture of a loved one…the sacrifice of a love one. A little girl closes her eyes and wishes on every star the same wish. A best friend talks for seconds, minutes, hours, days…in hopes of getting through the fog. The husband comes every night at seven o'clock with a single red rose and still sees the beautiful girl he married. Sometimes, he would wake up in the middle of the night reaching across the pillows and be surprised that his hand did not tangle in long silky hair. There are times at nights when he is so scared that he checks on his girls at least three times and finally wakes a sleepy uncle and slips into the hospital just to hear the familiar beating of a heart. The most extraordinary thing about life is the full circles it makes. The most extraordinary thing is when the eyes snap open and focus on the surrounding world. The most extraordinary thing is when the person whispers a name…

Summer felt immobilized as she watched her best friend's eyes snap open and focus on her own. A trembling started at her toes and worked its way up to her heart and finally her vocal cords. "Nurse!" roared Summer Cohen as she shrieked. She held her breath watching Marissa's eyes flutter shut and then reopening this time focusing on her face. "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh…COOP!" Summer launched herself at her friend and wrapped her arms around her neck sobbing and muttering nonsense. She felt a hand hesitantly lay on her back and start patting and she started laughing. It was not just a giggle or a bark of laughter. It was the type of laugh that starts in the belly and ruptures out of a person. It even sounded a little hysterical.

"Mrs. Cohen," Dr. Brown smiled widely down at the two women sprawled on the bed. One looked puzzled and a little uncertain, while the other laughed like a demented clown. "Do I need to get a sedative?" His smile increased as the young woman gulped in her laughter and looked up at him with shining eyes. He couldn't help it, he started laughing as well. It was a good feeling…like waking up from a long lazy nap in the setting sun that settled within the bones cleansing the soul. He smiled down at the other young woman that seemed oblivious to her friend's death grip on her neck and was smiling at Summer while looking up at him with questions filling her eyes. "Welcome back Marissa. Welcome back…"

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The clock ticked in pattern with the scratching of pencil on paper. Nealy Atwood glanced down at her math test trying to remember what her Dad said about rhombuses. She couldn't remember if they…BANG! The door slammed open, and immediately everybody looked up at the intruder. Nealy stared in shock as her younger sister ran in gasping with her mocha hair swirling around her pixyish features yelling something.

"Ms. Atwood, what is the meaning of this?" Mr. Cross stood up in concern. He paused as Ella burst into tears that turned into delighted laughter. He glanced at Nealy that sat her desk in shock. He was about to say something when Ella gasped in a breath and burst forth with the words.

"She woke up! Nealy, Mom woke up!"

That was when Nealy started to cry and smeared her paper that was covered in

rhombuses.

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"Daddy, why is the sky blue? Where does chocolate milk come from? Is a milk shake from a shaking cow? Why does…"

"Grace, how about we take a second and breathe?" He smiled down at his daughter as she skipped next to him to the car. He had the day off and was picking her up from preschool. They had the whole day planned. Grace like liked to call it her Daddy Date. They were going to go down to the pier and get ice cream. He smiled back at her enduring smile while she clasped her tiny sweaty hand into his bigger one.

"Daddy?"

"Yes, button?"

"I love you." She smacked her lips on his hand and then giggled. She looked up and gave a shriek, "Uncle Seth!" Ripping her hand away from her father, she launched herself down the sidewalk and into her Uncle's arms.

Ryan watched as his daughter clambered down the sidewalk and looked up smiling into his brother's eyes. The smile slowly dripped off his face as he noticed that Seth was very white and shaking. However, his eyes were bright and looked as if he had been crying. Ryan felt his heart clenched and thoughts started rumbling into his mind.

"Ryan, my man. How's it going?" Seth clasped his hand on Ryan's shoulder and brought him into a hug.

"Fine, how about you tell me what is going on?" Ryan leaned over and took Grace into his arms while continuing to look at Seth.

Seth took a deep breath and without hesitation whispered, "She woke up." Reaching out he steadied Ryan as he physically crumpled and almost dropped Grace. Gently putting Grace on the ground, he helped Ryan sit on the curb. Turning to face him, Seth stared at his closed eyes. As he was about to say something, he felt Ryan take his hand and grasp it tightly. For a minute, they sat there like that with Seth providing strength, and Ryan willingly taking it. Then Ryan started to laugh and picked up Grace and started twirling her around the parking lot.

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The once quiet hospital halls rang with laughter and shrieks. Footsteps pounded up the stairs and echoed down toward the checkered ICU wing. Nurses peered over desks and curious patients leaned out their doors. They smiled watching the young father trying to keep reign on his three daughters as they continued their parade down the hallway. Nurses stepped out and gave the girls hugs and kisses as they continued their journey. Some of the patients started laughing in sear joy, and felt warmth that they had not felt in months. Finally, the whole group stopped outside the cream colored door with the number 173 printed. The four suddenly stopped and quiet descended. Slowly, their hands became joined and together they slowly opened the door as bright sunlight poured into the hallway illuminating their features that shone with joy.

The littlest girl peered into the room and stared at the woman sitting up in bed staring right back at her. She felt her sisters pushing against her back and father's trembling hand on her hair. Her mother sat staring back at her in wonder as a lone tear dripped down her cheek. She whispered, "Hello Button," and held out her arms.

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It is a shock to the system learning that you have been asleep for three years. Marissa stared at wonder at her daughters all grown up. Grace wasn't a baby anymore, and Nealy stood proudly next to her Dad. Ella had snuggled up next to her in the bed, and their stories poured out of their hearts. Marissa tangled her fingers into Ella's hair, and beamed tiredly up at Ryan. He had been quiet all evening. He had always been quiet, but this time he was uncharacteristically silent. Marissa shifted as Nealy and Grace climbed into bed and draped themselves around her. She took in the sweet voice of tiny Grace, and stared into her daughter's beautiful blue eyes. The minutes faded to hours, and one became two before Summer showed up the take the girls home. After countless good-night hugs and kisses and promises to see her tomorrow, Marissa watched her three girls walk out with Summer. Turning to Ryan, she was surprised to see him watching her with a slightly unfocused gaze. "Ryan?" She smiled gently into his familiar face that bore new wrinkles and lines. Suddenly, she was in his arms as he buried his head into her body as sobs racked his shoulders. Gazing into his eyes, she saw them celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary...Nealy walking down the aisle beautiful on her father's arms...Ella proudly standing up to give her graduation speech after being in a horrible car accident and being told she would never walk again. She saw Seth and Summer's family continuing to grow until 5 miniature visions with dark curly hair debated the best comic book hero...Sandy and Kristen still madly in love, and Grace becoming a teacher to inner city children...she saw in his eyes reflected back her love that would survive the progress of time. Gently picking up his chin and facing his wonderful face whilewiping a lone tear that melted down his face, she whispered lovingly, "I told you we would grow old together…"

The End

A/N: Thank you so much to everyone that has read the story. I hope you enjoyed it!


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